email: [email protected] website: nightshift.oxfordmusic.net Free every month. NIGHTSHIFT Issue 160 November Oxford’s Music Magazine 2008

OnOn TargetTarget ForFor RockRock GloryGlory AA SILENTSILENT FILMFILM

NIGHTSHIFT: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU. Phone: 01865 372255

NEWNEWSS Nightshift: PO Box 312, Kidlington, OX5 1ZU Phone: 01865 372255 email: [email protected] Online: nightshift.oxfordmusic.net

NIGHTSHIFT’S WEBSITE has Tuesday 18th November. The undergone a major overhaul this event, organised by Generator month, making it easier to read the Project co-ordinator Paul Reed, magazine online and discuss local runs from 2-4pm and takes the music matters. Nightshift is form of an interactive discussion of available to read online in PDF topics such as getting established, format every month, plus there are costing and financial management, archive issues going back to 2005 promotion and marketing, venue available to browse. The management, licensing, dealing with ISIS will play a rare UK show at the Regal next month. The hugely th messageboard has been completely agents, artist liaison and influential Californian post-metal titans come to Oxford on Monday 8 revamped and visitors can now production. For full details of the December, one of only four UK shows, including an apperance at All easily join up to the forum and afternoon, visit Tomorrow’s Parties. Tickets for the show, are on sale now, priced post whatever pearls of wisdom www.generator.org.uk or phone £12.50, from wegottickets.com they want. Or just moan about Paul on 0191 245 0099. stuff. Go to at the Jericho Tavern next month. occasional Sunnyvale guitarist, nightshift.oxfordmusic.net. hold a This year’s event, in conjunction Giles Borg and follows the trials of special signing session and fans with Swiss Concrete and Coo Coo an up and coming band trying to FOALS have added a second night meet and greet at Tiger Lily ahead Club, features 22 acts playing over make it in the music industry. at the Academy to their tour in of their Academy gig on Saturday the weekend of the 13th/14th Sunnyvale make a couple of cameo December after the first show sold 1st November. The welsh December. Acts already confirmed appearances, while The Half out. The local stars will now play heroes will be at the store in New are, Alphabet Backwards Rabbits have two songs featured on on Thursday 11th December as well Road (close to the central library) (acoustic), The Hats, Aidan the soundtrack. The film premiered as Friday 12th. Tickets for the new between 5.30 and 6.30pm. Visit Canaday, Danny Chivers, Les at last month’s Film show are on sale from www.tiger-lily.com for more Clochards, Cogwheel Dogs, Cyrus, Festival. More details on it can be wegottickets.com or from the details. Dear Landlord, The Gullivers, found at Academy box office. Hollow, King Of Cats, Mephisto www.1234themovie.co.uk. The RICHARD THOMPSON plays a Grande, The Middle Ones, The Half Rabbits, meanwhile, are were special show at the New Theatre Mile High Young Team, The currently recording their debut forced to cancel their gig at the on Saturday 7th February next year Mountain Parade, Night Portraits, for release early next year. Academy last month after guitarist as part of a tour celebrating 1,000 Secret Rivals, Sketchbeat and The Tad Kubler was hospitalised with years of popular music. The Wookies. Music runs from 3pm-12 AS EVER, don’t forget to tune pancreatitis. The Oxford show was legendary folk singer and guitarist midnight both days. Admission is into BBC Oxford Introducing due to be ’s first of a UK will play songs from the early £5 per day, or £3 before 3pm. A every Saturday evening between tour. The gig has now been middle ages to the present day, limited number of weekend tickets, 6-7pm on 95.2fm. The dedicated rescheduled for Monday 8th taking in everything from Gilbert & priced £7, are on sale now local music show featured the best December. All tickets remain valid, Sullivan and Nat King Cole to The fromwegottickets.com. new Oxford releases, plus with more on sale, priced £14, from Who and Nelly Furtado. Tickets interviews with local and touring wegottickets.com or the Academy for the show are on sale now, THE HALF RABBITS and bands, a demo competition and a box office. priced £20, on 0844 847 1585. Sunnyvale Noise Sub-Elements are local gig and club guide. The show both included in a new film released is also available to listen to THE WHEATSHEAF hosts a free GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES this month. ‘1234’ is written and online all week at .co.uk/ live music promotion workshop on host their annual Weekend Warmer directed by film-maker, and oxford. HAMISH FERGUSON 1963 - 2008 Tributes have been paid to local musician Hamish Ferguson, who has died of cancer, aged 45. Hamish was a popular and prominent figure on the Oxford scene through the 1980s and 90s, firstly with The Hulas, the band he formed with promoter and ATL singer Mac, before he joined local legends The Anyways in 1990. Subsequently he formed Lucky & The Losers and Botley. More recently Hamish worked as a chiropractor. Speaking about his friend and former Anyways bandmate, Relationships singer Richard Ramage said, “Hamish joined The Anyways in 1990, bringing his Telecaster twang and rippling 12-string to the (1960s, revolutionary) party. We levitated the Pentagon and celebrated Arthur Lee, the Byrds and long-haired , enlightening anoraked C-86 audiences in London and Brighton, supporting Ride at the Apollo, and recording a sparkling (if inevitably unreleased) album at Dungeon Studios. Hamish and Anyways keyboard star Karen left to form Lucky and The Losers, pursuing an abiding mission to spread the country-rock gospel... latterly, as his health problems increased, Hamish gave up the in favour of working as a chiropractor (treating, among others, Relationships drummer Tim Turan). He was a complex character, who could change at the flip of a plectrum from quiet recluse to the rocking-est party-goer in the precinct...a natural rebel, he was also intensely loyal to friends and family. Ultimately he will be remembered - and missed - by many, as a fiercely talented guitarist, singer and , and a man of great warmth and multiple enthusiasms. Here’s to you, Hamish!” Mac too paid tribute to Hamish: “Hooch was a lovely fella, and a top player; he’ll be sorely missed. When we formed The Hulas the whole band revolved around his most excellent country twang style. That and Thunderbird wine.” Nightshift extends its deepest sympathies to all of Hamish’s family and friends. A quiet word with A SILENT FILM Are you happy to stay with them, or could you foresee a situation where a bigger label might come in for you? “We’re very happy with Xtra Mile; their roster just keeps getting better. Bigger labels are a nightmare right now anyway; they’re all losing money hand over fist and do not seem willing to spend time and money developing artists any more. They either see you doing something exceptional they want, or they see the ‘potential’, which if censored and dressed up smart enough might sell as many records as such and such. We have to earn our stripes first before we ever consider jumping onto that hay- ride.”

A PREVIOUS TRADEMARK OF “THE BEST THING THAT CAN than earned their dues on the local crafted pop that’s at once accessible A Silent Film’s live shows was happen to you is the unexpected. I scene, firstly with pop-punk and radio friendly, but also invested Robert’s use of a book onstage know exactly what I’m aiming for scamps Shouting Myke, before with romantic soul. Robert is whose pages were projected behind when I start writing but I’m always forming A Silent Film along with understandably proud of the album, the band, telling the stories of the hoping for that piece of stellar bassist Alastair Hussain. which the band began recording last songs as they were sung. The songs wisdom that someone else brings to From the very beginning you felt a year. on ‘The City That Sleeps’ seem to the table, which will drive the song Silent Film were destined for greater “It’s hard for us to believe but we tell stories rather than simply reflect further.” things. The effort they put into began recording this album a year lyrical emotions. How much their shows, which even in small ago. We decided to gradually release inspiration do you get from NIGHTSHIFT IS TALKING TO pub venues would include back a few singles over the summer and literature as opposed to other Robert Stevenson, singer and pianist projections and TV sets that let people outside Oxford warm up sources? with rising local stars A Silent Film. showed all manner of weird and to us before unleashing the album, “There’s a huge influence from We’re discussing the band’s debut wonderful imagery, combining with and it seems to have worked. I films, not so much from literature. album, ‘The City That Sleeps’, the band’s epic, but intimate pop to wouldn’t change much; we’re Personally I’ve never been a big which was released last month on blur the lines between music and extremely proud of what the album reader, I find myself drifting off Xtra Mile Records. There is a cinema. represents. Any ideas we have now every few paragraphs. I tend to get feeling of musical perfection running ‘The City That Sleeps’ is an are already being channelled into to the end of a page and realise I’ve through ‘The City That Sleeps’, and astonishingly well crafted album, album number two, which will not not taken anything in and start all we wonder whether Robert has a with an attention to detail and be far away.” over again. I consider myself right at clear and definite vision of what he accomplishment you’d expect from What was it like to work with Sam the bottom of the ‘intellectual’ wants to achieve when he starts a major band making their third Williams, something of a cult figure Oxford stereotype.” writing a song. album, rather than a debut outing on the Oxford music scene since his If you could write the soundtrack “We all push each other extremely from a still young band, recorded in time fronting The Mystics in the to any film or any book to be made hard in this band; we still have a a local studio. Album producer Sam early-90s? into a film, what would it be? need to impress upon ourselves first Williams – who recorded “A perfect fit, we were very lucky “It would have to be for one of and foremost. We work on the ideal Supergrass’ debut album – has to find a producer whole truly those late night documentaries about that if it gets us excited, to hell with managed to instil A Silent Film’s understood where these songs were sharks or killer squid. Sam and I everyone else.” majestic live power into the record, coming from. Most of the pre- share an affinity for marine nature the band managing to fuse the production work on this album was programs but the music is always so AS WELL AS RELEASING stadium-filling grandeur of Muse done over a few bottles of wine and dull. Have you ever watched an their long-awaited album, A Silent with an artier, narrative approach. a , very laid back and stress octopus actually changing colour? Film have just returned to Oxford Some listeners might point, not free.” Or seen a man induce a 15 foot after supporting multi-million- inaccurately, to similarities with Last year A Silent Film signed to shark into a catatonic state just by selling American rockers One Keane, mostly due to Robert’s independent label Xtra Mile rubbing its nose? This is incredible Republic on their UK tour and have piano lead, but they’re closer to Records, whose roster includes stuff! I reckon there’s room for a few days off before heading off on , or even opulent 80s , The Maybes? and some pretty exciting soundtracks their own national headline tour. electro-rockers Ultravox. A Silent Lights. Action, who feature Oxford there.” From an Oxford perspective it’s Film don’t shy away from painting music alumni Patrick Currier, and Could you imagine making a thrilling to see the band’s efforts big pictures, full of bold colours. whom A Silent Film recently concept album with a single coming to fruition like this. Robert, undertook a joint headline UK tour. narrative thread running through all along with guitarist Lewis Jones and ‘THE CITY THAT SLEEPS’ IS You’ve been with the label. for well the songs? drummer Spencer Walker, have more a superb 45 minutes of finely- over a year now; how has that gone? “I doubt it,it sounds like one of those things that I think would be a great excellent as well. If you go to any and then everyone else would look other city in I doubt you’ll at me worryingly. Like the time I find such a wealth of ambitious took a one hundred and eight year musicians, and that’s something I old piano to The Water Rats in don’t think will ever change because London. I thought people would get the precedent has been set by so a kick out of it (nostalgically many good bands. The need to push speaking) but everyone just said musical boundaries is at the very ‘…great gig but your piano sounded core of Oxfordshire music, just look like shit tonight’.” at the recent Foals phenomenon. Which ASF song would sound best Right now there are tons of as the soundtrack for Match Of The excellent bands; to name two I’d Day highlights? recommend Richard Walters and “Good question; `You Will Leave a Jonquil.” Mark’, definitely. Scratch the lyrics, November just the piano riff bursting into the IN A MUSIC WORLD increasingly band entrance as the ball hits the difficult to stand out in, A Silent Every Monday back of the net. Get in.” Film are making progress of the THE FAMOUS MONDAY NIGHT BLUES slow and steady variety, building The best in UK, European and US blues. 8-12. THUS FAR A SILENT FILM their profile and their following at a 3rd THE IAN PARKER BAND (UK) have generally had good reaction natural pace, unhindered by hype or 10th GILES HEDLEY & THE AVIATORS (UK) from the media outside of Oxford. unrealistic expectations. Supporting th 6Music’s made them a band of One Republic’s standing 17 THE AYNSLEY LISTER BAND (UK) th his ‘Favourite New Band Of The will no doubt help up the band’s 24 BIG DEZ () Week’ and ‘You Will Leave A Mark’ profile even more. How was that was used by the BBC for an ad and how did you go down with their Every Tuesday campaign. On the flipside, audience? DrownedinSound’s review of “Amazingly well, it was a really THE OXFORD CLUB ‘Sleeping Pills’ was a pretty petty mixed audience. Extremely Free live jazz plus DJs playing r’n’b, funk and soul until 2am dismissal of the band. welcoming and up for it, each night 4th DENNY ILETT Jr & LILLIAN BOUTTE (live album recording) “What was with that Drowned in we finished our set to a full house 11th / 25th THE HOWARD PEACOCK QUINTET Sound review? He must have just and it taught us a lot about playing 18th THE HUGH TURNER BAND got the wrong vibe from that single. to a room that size. We brought I don’t mind, I really don’t like to their guitarist back to Oxford on a read reviews, I have my own day off and showed him some Every Wednesday opinions and it can be such a sights; these US rock stars need all ASYLUM Rock and indie club night. 11-2am; £3. Lots of distraction. I understand the album the culture they can get.” drinks promotions! has been extremely well received The tour wasn’t without incident, across the board, which is a relief however, notably in Glasgow, which because we like it too. I think that prompted Robert to post an Thursdays DrownedinSound review was explanation on the band’s website. 6th MOSHKA presents RESERVOIR CATS / EASY definitely the worst I’ve read! But The opening line of ‘You Will Leave TIGER / DYING ANIMALS feedback on the album has been A Mark’ is “I’m so ashamed of all 13th VAGROCK – Fundraiser for Oxford Young Women’s excellent so we’re in high spirits. In the trouble I’ve caused”. Didn’t you 18 months there’ll be a new album try and pick a fight with an entire Bands Project with BABY GRAVY / THE COURTESY out and I hope we’re as pleased venue full of Scotsmen? KILL / TAMARA PARSONS-BAKER / THE PHEES plus with it as we are with this one.” “You’re making me sound like a DJs Nell (Trashy) and Beth Lezzard til 2am. £5 From the point of view of a band terrible person; I was trying to be 20th BLAZE BAYLEY (former- frontman) £7 trying to make it in the current affable. We’d just done a radio adv from wegottickets.com music industry climate, what are the interview where we were 27th MOSHKA presents JUNKIE BRUSH / DEDLOK / main difficulties and what advice continually referred to as ‘southern THE CRUSHING would you give to a new, aspiring jessies’ by some witty presenter. So band looking for a deal? I mentioned this on stage and “Don’t look for a deal; write ten everyone seemed amused so I Every Friday times more songs than you think is quickly snuck in the line ‘cos you’re BACKROOM BOOGIE necessary. Learn your craft and all northern bastards’. Turns out Funk, soul and R&B. 10.30pm-2.30am; £4. ignore the critics. Never lose sight of they were most offended by the why you started making music in ‘northern’ part.” the first place, go about things in Elegant and sophisticated A Silent Friday Early Shows your own way and if you’re good, Film’s music might be, it’s good to 14th MOSHKA presents THE CHEESEGRATERS you might just get by.” know there’s still a bit of the Iggy Includes entry to Backroom Boogie afterwards You’re playing as part of the On A Pop about them. They’ll need every Saturday gig series this month. scrap of fighting spirit about them if What do you feel about the local they’re to reap the success they so Saturdays scene, how it’s changed in the time richly deserve. 1st SIMPLE – Funky House with ZINC / SURKIN 9-4am. you’ve been involved in it, which 8th CHARITY SHOW with HELIUM SOUL / local bands if any inspired you and ‘The City That Sleeps’ is out now FRANKADELIC / BEAVER FUEL / DJs. In aid of which bands around now take your on Xtra Mile. A Silent Film UVHAA. 8-2am fancy. headline the Academy on Saturday 15th OX4 – Drum’n’ 9-3am; £6/5 “The On A Saturday gigs are a 22nd November as part of TCT 22nd REGGAE & SOUL CLUB NIGHT prime example of how good Oxford Music and Nightshift’s On A th music is at the moment, and the Saturday series. Visit 29 PHISH – 90s cheesecore with THE MIGHTY DISCO great thing is it’s not just about the www.myspace.com/asilentfilm for / BETH LEZZARD. 11-2am; £4 headliners, the support bands are all news and tour dates. Sponsored RELEASED by collaboration with Portland, Oregon poet Adam Gnade whose reading, full of subdued hysteria, ‘Polyp’ over an eerily ambient backing injects some urgency into the EP; their collaboration over a (Blast First) full EP last year displayed just how well the If nothing else, Youthmovies revel in two forces can work and it’d be good to hear confounding expectations. Oxford’s prime more of this sort of stuff. EP highlight, though, purveyors of convoluted, angular post-rock is Hugo Manuel’s remix of ‘Magdalen Palace / have recently hooked up with Blast First, a Golden Palace’, where the Jonquil man draws label renowned for abrasive, confrontational the same lysergic, bleached-out feeling from the bands, for whom they have just released their track as he does the best of his own band’s first EP, so what do we get? Sweet, soft-centred work. folk-pop that sounds like it’d rather sit The EP’s title track is as uncharacteristic as the dreamily and watch the clouds drift by in the opener, preferring the softly softly approach to company of Noah & the Whale than soundtrack their usual angular attack, while lyrics like “I’ll industrial meltdown with Big Black or Liars. bury you with an onion bourbon” (really, we The bleedin’ cheek of it! listened back six times to make sure) suggest At least that’s the initial impression you get when you can have twelve? And so it gradually some kind of magic mushroom involvement. from lead track ‘Magic Diamond’ as it thrums morphs and meanders into an undulating choral A typically atypical outing from Youthmovies, gently, full of lyrical whimsy, airy horns and fug by way of Penguin Café and then, although as ever there’s more than enough cooing female backing vocals. But then at eight Steve Reich, until it bears little resemblance to to keep us occupied, and their continual musical minutes long, there’s plenty of time to head of its opening gambit. It’s a hazy, beguiling trip mutations are admirable compared to the easy in absolutely any direction, Youthmovies being filled with pockets of genuine musical beauty. rut that too many bands sink into. firm believers that why have one idea in a song Even more appealing is their latest Dale Kattack

label Planting Seeds gathers some early INTERNATIONAL recordings that were previously Nightshift DR SLAGGLEBERRY JETSETTERS Demo Of The Month along with songs ‘Tuc Into The Tar’ recorded since Fi joined. ‘Heart Is Black’ Listening to International Jetsetters is like (Crash) entering an indie trainspotters’ paradise with Having initially picked Thame’s Dr Slaggleberry (Planting Seeds) enough great reference points to fill an entire to play the Oxford Punt back in May it was a Okay, quick catch-up for any newcomers: review, but along the way you’ll hear snatches disappointment when they went and lost their International Jetsetters is the band formed by of , The Velvet drummer. Fast forward six months and they’ve local singer and guitarist and sometime member Underground, , Ride, Cowboy got a new sticksman but seemingly lost their of The Jesus & Mary Chain Mark Crozer, Junkies, Magoo, Cocteau Twins and Galaxie singer. A Shame since his disembodied, middle- along with bassist Bert Audubert and Mark’s 500. Often all within the space of a single distance howl and roar added extra menace to a brother Paul. Joining them is drummer Loz song. Which isn’t to say International band whose masked stage presence was already Colbert, Mark’s bandmate in the Mary Chain Jetsetters are just a rehash of their myriad a striking spectacle. and former sticksman for local legends Ride. influences. Opener ‘Inside Out’ is giddy and Still, this new three-track EP, taken from a live More recently they recruited female vocalist Fi fresh, a sunshine blast of coruscating session the band recorded for Xfm, amply McFall. This six-track mini-album for American psychedelia, while ‘Never Slows Down’ finds demonstrates the band’s main strengths – Fi capturing Liz Frazer’s ethereal splendour, furious, pin-tight math-metal riffing with a the conjuring gorgeous, understated spazz-jazz predilection for signature changes hooks at every turn. ‘My Redemption’ is and sharp angles. Many bands play the angular smoky, ephemeral and scuzzy all at once, post-whatever card, but Dr Slaggleberry’s while the album’s title track slowly spirals unrelenting attack marks them out from the with an almost morbid gravity. The near pack – full-throttle classic metal riffs, machine- orchestral crescendo of the original demo gun drum salvos, occasional Sabbath-like version of ‘Never Slows Down’, with Mark breakdowns, one moment in lead track ‘Extra on vocal duties, captures the grandeur of late- Strength Grandma’ that could be prime Dead 80s indie noise, when bands would attempt to Kennedys and even the odd dalliance with build palaces of sound rather than retreat into Weather Report. Okay, we’ll forgive them that irony and humdrum slices of life. And for last one. anyone who hankers for such glory days, It’s precision stuff and stands up reasonably International Jetsetters might just be here to well compared to the likes of Rolo Tomassi and save music as we know it. Mr Bungle. Dale Kattack Ian Chesterton

Selected Oxford releases are now available on the ground floor HMV Oxford supports local music Open Sundays 11-5pm & late Thursdays till 7pm. 10% student discount every day TCT gig guide

ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC NIGHT: The Red st th th nd th Saturday 1 / 8 / 15 / 22 / 29 NOVEMBER Lion, Kidlington ON A SATURDAY: MONDAY 3rd SATURDAY 1st The Academy WHY? + WE AERONAUTS: The Regal – THE WINCHELL RIOTS + 50ft PANDA + It says everything about how productive Former- chap Yoni Wolf brings his ELAPSE-O: The Academy – First of TCT innovative folk-pop-hip-hop collective to The Oxford’s music scene currently is that we can Music and Nightshift’s joint On A Saturday gigs, host a five-gig series of showcase shows for Regal, promoting new album ‘Alopecia’ and featuring the cream of Oxford’s new musical crop offering lysergic folk’n’beats pop with nods to the best up and coming talent in town and still – see main preview think of another dozen who could have fitted Beck, Eels and beyond. FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND + + THE IAN PARKER BAND: The Bullingdon – the bill. Every Saturday in November ATTACK ATTACK + IN CASE OF FIRE: The Nightshift teams up with Oxford’s premier gig Raw roots-rock and blues from the Brummie Academy – A-list emo heroes, or alternatively, singer and guitarist who has just released his new promoters TCT Music to show off three great the band formerly known as Bon Jovi, head out local acts. Delicately epic stadium-pop starlets album, ‘Where I Belong’, after extensive on tour in support of new soft rock opus American and European touring and owing as Winchell Riots headline the first show, ‘’. Brutal garage thrash where they’re joined by riffs’n’beats post- much to the likes of The Edge and Mark from Cancer Bats in support, plus anthemic Knopfler as the classic American blues tradition. rock-cum-metal duo 50ft Panda and electro- stadium rockers In Case Of Fire and Welsh th RED LIGHT COMPANY: The Academy – noise terrorists Elapse-O. The 8 sees newcomers Attack Attack. another recent Nightshift cover band, London’s orchestral, hook-laden indie rockers ALPHABET BACKWARDS + THE RUINS + casting an eye towards Arcade Fire’s pop throne Stornoway, headlining, with their graceful, THE HALCYONS: The Wheatsheaf – Rising poetic folky pop; they are supported by multi- with new single, ‘Scheme Eugene’, following on local starlets bring a little more joy to our lives from a tour support to Editors. synthed electro-ambience orchestra The with their sweet, upbeat synth-pop-cum-indie- Keyboard Choir and heart-warming electro- folk. Expansive folk-rock from newcomers The th acoustic popsters Alphabet Backwards. Halcyons in support, plus new wave and indie TUESDAY 4 Raggasaurus top a dance-orientated bill on rock from The Ruins. MARTHA WAINWRIGHT: Oxford Town Hall th the 15 , with their heady fusion of dub and QUICKFIX OPEN JAM SESSION: The Port – Sister of Rufus, daughter of Loudon (and Kate north African vocals, while freestyle rap duo Mahon McGarrigle), Martha returns with a new album, ‘I GTA and expansive soul, funk and hip hop TRANSFORMATION / TRASHY / ROOM 101: Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too’, collective Loose Grip. This month’s cover The Academy – Weekly three-clubs-in-one taking a break from slagging her old man off (her stars A Silent Film take time out from a session with classic and contemporary indie at debut single, ‘Bloody Mother-Fucking Asshole’ national tour to promote their debut album to Transformation; 80s and trash-pop at Trashy and was a sweet-natured tribute to his parenting nd top the bill on the 22 , where they’re joined , metal and hardcore at Room 101. skills), to explore more traditional love and by shoegazing sonic architects International SIMPLE: The Bullingdon – Funky house club heartache subjects, her histrionic voice and self- Jetsetters and emotive 16-year-old singer- night with Zinc and Surkin. examining style enhanced by guest appearances songwriter Adam Barnes in his guise of BOOGIE BUMPS: The Regal – Disco club from Pete Townsend, Garth Hudson and Donald Motion In Colour. Rounding off the gig night. Fagen, while owing plenty to ‘Rumours’-era series are gothically-inclined new wave BANGUNGUT: Baby Simple – World Fleetwood Mac. fuzztsers The Half Rabbits (pictured), along dancefloor beats club, from Cuban hip hop and ONE NIGHT ONLY + SKINT & with ace teenage indie newcomers Tristan & Rio funk to African . DEMORALISED + GENERAL FIASCO: The The Troubadours and electro-krautpop BASSMENTALITY: The Cellar – The monthly Academy – Soppy indie balladeering and soft- dabblers Space Heroes Of The People. A hip hop club goes head to head with ska and centred guitar pop from the North Yorkshire great opportunity to discover some of the best reggae specialists Skylarkin’. teens, somehow finding middle ground between bands Oxford has to offer, on a big stage. Now MELTING POT with HELIUM SOUL + THE New Found Glory and The Feeling. watch them go. DACOITS: The Jericho Tavern – Rock, blues JAZZ CLUB: The Bullingdon – Free weekly and funk from Helium Soul. PJ Harvey-styled live jazz club. Tonight’s guests are local guitarist rocking from The Dacoits. Denny Ilett Jr and singer Lillian Boutte who will ZOMBIE PROM: The Brickworks – be recording a live album. , , punk and rock’n’roll club KAPOW: The Cellar – Indie, electro and pop session. club night. WEDNESDAY 5 th nd SUNDAY 2 ALPHABEAT + DAS POP + PANDERING & CAGE THE ELEPHANT: The Academy – THE GOLD-DIGGERS: The Academy – Kentucky’s swaggering old-fashioned blues and Happy, clappy Danish popsters bring a little X- rap-rock hopefuls mix up equal parts Chili Factor into indie kids’ lives – see main preview Peppers, Reef and Kings Of Leon. PEGGY SUE + JAY JAY PISTOLET + DEREK THE BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY FORCE + MEINS: The Regal – Brighton-based girl duo KYLE + TIRED IRIE: The Regal – Erstwhile Peggy Sue appear to have dropped their Pirates Yourcodenameis:milo chap Justin Lockey returns moniker but still combine to create a sweetly with his -prog electro-rock project, set to abrasive blend of blues, jazz, acoustic pop and release the middle part of his thematic album rockabilly, leaning towards the Cat Power and trilogy: ambient cinematic post-rock with careful Peggy Lee scheme of things. West London’s attention to texture and mood.. introverted folk-pop troubadour Jay Jay Pistolet THREE DAFT MONKEYS: The Jericho Tavern supports. – Cornish folkies taking inspiration from Celtic, FIRST SIGNS OF FROST: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Balkan and Spanish traditional music. Grungy, melodic math-rocking from Buckinghamshire-based newcomers. from The Scarletts somewhere between The OPEN MIC SESSION: The Temple Clash, Jilted John and The Selecter, plush full-on ASYLUM: The Bullingdon – New rock and thrash punk from Alley Rats and from indie club playing old and new tracks. TWTB. FREE RANGE: The Cellar – Dubstep and OPEN MIC SESSION: The Half Moon drum&bass club night. FRIDAY 7th th THURSDAY 6 AGGROLITES + THE GRIT + NEW YORK + DISCO DOOM: The ALCOHOLIC ANXIETY ATTACK: The Academy – ’s psychedelic rockers Academy – Reggae and ska from LA’s Aggrolites, play the whole of ‘’ – see the band formed to back reggae legend Derrick main preview Morgan and who have subsequently gone on to Wednesday 5th SKYLARKIN’ with HIP-BONE SLIM & THE play with Culture and Prince Buster as well as KNEE-TREMBLERS: The Academy – Classic collaborating with Rancid. Punk and rockabilly ALPHABEAT: rockabilly, swamp blues and voodoo garage support from the Grit, plus alt.rock noise from rocking from Hipbone Slim at tonight’s Bradford newcomers NYAAA. The Academy Skylarkin’, local rock’n’roll hero Sir Bald Diddley NITIN SAWNEY: The Academy – Kent’s Anglo- Testament to the power of great marketing, teaming up with Kaisers bassist John Gibbs and Asian fusion maestro plays his first Oxford gig in ’s Alphabeat are now the NME- drummer Bruce Brand, who’s played with years, set to release a new album, ‘London endorsed pop-du-jour, when in the normal everyone from Link Wray to Thee Headcoats Undersound’, still pushing fusion boundaries after scheme of things they’d be X-Factor-produced and The Milkshakes, together they kick it out as his classic 1999 Mercury-nominated ‘Beyond contenders for the Christmas Number 1 spot. raw and authentic as the 50s originators from Skin’. Y’see, not long ago EMI picked up on the whom they take inspiration. Count Skylarkin, KLUB KAKOFANNEY with MEPHISTO band (yes, a real band what play their own meanwhile, spins his trademark mix of classic ska, GRANDE + BLACK HATS + JUNKIE BRUSH instruments and stuff) who’d had a couple of reggae, soul, funk and rock’n’roll. + ALEX BITTEN COMPANY: The Wheatsheaf hits in their homeland, and sent out some RESERVOIR CATS + EASY TIGER + DYING – Storming blues terror from limited edition to assorted cool ANIMALS: The Bullingdon – Good-time, Mephisto Grande at tonight’s Klub Kak, with tastemakers and got the band a handful of heavyweight blues-rocking from local stalwarts support from melodic 60s-inspired rockers Black small showcase gigs where they could look Reservoir Cats, plus countrified rocking from Hats and punk fizz from Junkie Brush. like, y’know, proper cool indie rock Easy Tiger and punk thrash from Dying Animals PLUMP DJs: The Regal – Nu-skool breakbeats tearaways. And so it came to pass that at tonight’s Moshka club night. from Fingerlickin’ duo Lee Rous and Andy ‘Fascination’ (essentially a cross between ACTION BEAT + FROM LIGHT TO SOUND + Gardner. ‘Footloose’ and Bowie’s ‘Let’s Dance’ as EGYPTIAN DEATH: The Cellar – Warm-up for PISTOL KIXX + SEROTONIN: The Port redone by S Club Seven) was a radio hit, chart Audioscope with Bletchley’s reliably unpredictable Mahon – Fast’n’heavy trash-metal and garage hit and, gasp, cool indie fanboy hit. Chuck in a no-wave big band, featuring at least four guitars punk racket from recent Nightshift Demo Of The cute cover of PiL’s ‘Public Image Limited’, and up to four drummers at any given gig and Monthers Pistol Kixx. complete with whistling, and the odd nod to aiming towards the Glenn Branca and early Sonic THE REPEATS + IVAN DOBSKY + BOY DID Kate Bush, Chic or Men Without Hats and it’s scheme of noisy things. Instrumental post- GOOD + HELEN PEARSON: The Jericho a merry old kitsch party triumph. Which isn’t rock from new local supergroup From Light To Tavern to say Alphabeat aren’t a whole bucketload of Sound, featuring members of Sunnyvale, The THE SCARLETTS + SPIRO SPERO: The fun, which they can be, and perhaps they can Workhouse, The Evenings and Thumb Quintet, Purple Turtle rescue mainstream from its current plus experimental drone noise from Egyptian BACKROOM BOOGIE: The Bullingdon – state of toddler-orientated pap. There is a Death. Weekly club night playing classic funk, soul and youthful zest and sincerity about everything THE JAY TAMKIN BAND: Fat Lil’s, Witney – r’n’b. they do and maybe they can become a sort of British electric blues guitarist in a John Mayer DUGOUT: The Cellar – Soul, funk and rare High School Musical for the indie massive. vein. groove club night. Don’t go betting against a Christmas Number CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford GET DOWN: The Brickworks – Weekly DJ 1, neither. Community Centre – Oxford’s longest-running session with a selection of disco, Latin, and funk. open mic club features an eclectic selection of gradually made way for a smoother type of r’n’b singers, musicians, poets, storytellers and th SATURDAY 8 and the dance routines aren’t quite as energetic as performance artists every week. STORNOWAY + KEYBOARD CHOIR + they once were but The Temptations remain a THE SCARLETTS + ALLEY RATS + THEN ALPHABET BACKWARDS: The Academy – byword for male harmony . WE TAKE BERLIN: The Jericho Tavern – Ska- On A Saturday gig with the local folk-pop ABSOLUTE BOWIE: Fat Lil’s, Witney – punk favourites – see main preview Extensive tribute to the Thin White Duke. COMPLETE STONE ROSES: The Academy – TRANSFORMATION / TRASHY / ROOM Tribute to ’s finest. 101: The Academy VULTURES + I AM THIEVES + THE REPEATS: BODY ROX: The Regal The Wheatsheaf – Funky indie punk from Vultures, featuring former members of SUNDAY 9th Raggasaurus, Quarter Finals and Gunbunny, plus ANATHEMA: The Academy – The one-time alt.rock noise from I Am Thieves and Crowded goth-metal monsters find themselves a long way House-inspired pop from The Repeats. from their early sound these days, plying a soft HELIUM SOUL + BEAVER FUEL + atmospheric kind of rock that owes more to mid- FRANKADELIC: The Bullingdon – Charity gig 70s to help children orphaned by or suffering from JOHN MARTYN: The New Theatre – A AIDS in Africa. Funky blues-rockers Helium Soul celebratory show for the Scottish folk, blues and headline, plus alternately jangly and punky jazz innovator who was this year presented with rockers Beaver Fuel. the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC THE TEMPTATIONS: The New Theatre – Radio 2 Folk Awards. From his landmark ‘Solid ’s legends, still going strong over Air’ album through the experimental indulgences forty years since their first number 1 hit, ‘My and 80s breakdown chaos, he’s somehow survived Girl’. In fact founder member Otis Williams is creatively, if not, sadly, physically, intact, still in the group, who have now included over managing to collaborate with the diverse likes of twenty singers through the years. Their classic Eric Clapton, Dave Gilmour and Lee ‘Scratch’ blend of soul, r’n’b, funk and doo-wop has Perry along the way. His trademark slurred vocal Chicago blues, but is given a funky edge by jazz- the most influential band in Oxford is in no doubt. styled bassist Richard Sadler. SKYLARKIN with SOULJAZZ SYSTEM: The FUCKED UP + LET’S WRESTLE + BETTY & Academy – An eclectic mix of soul, Latin, dub, THE : The Academy – dancehall, hip hop and funk from tonight’s guests, Magnificent, orchestral from Pink Soul Jazz System, the people responsible for the Eyes, Concentration Camp and the boys – see seminal ‘100% Dynamite’ album series. main preview VAG-ROCK: The Bullingdon – Benefit gig for : The Academy – Gothic pop- the Oxford Young Women’s Band Project, metal extravagance from Milan’s Halloween featuring a celebration of some of Oxford’s best rockers, playing a one-off headline date in the female bands and musicians, including the ever- middle of supporting , excellent Baby Gravy, dark-minded rockers with ’s soaring vocals contrasting Courtesy Kill, acoustic duo The Pheebs, plus with co-singer Andrea Ferro’s hardcore growl over folky singer-songwriter Tamara Parsons-Baker, opulent radio-friendly metal. plus DJ sets from Nell and Beth Lezzard. SECRET RIVALS + THE SCARLETTS + TUESDAY 11th INSPECTED BY TEN: The Port Mahon – New th local bands night. Thursday 6 LESS THAN JAKE + PEPPER + BEAT MARK ARMSTRONG: The Wheatsheaf – UNION + IMPERIAL LEISURE: The BUILT TO SPILL: Jazz trumpeter Armstrong plays alongside the Academy – party time ahoy as Spin house band. Florida’s poppy ska-punk troupe return to town, The Academy SHE SET SAIL + THE MARMADUKES + now enjoying life on their own . Idaho singer and guitarist Doug Martsch is an FREUDIAN SLIP: The Jericho Tavern – Hawaii’s reggae, dub and rock outfit Pepper are enigmatic musical contrarian. His initial plan and noise from Witney’s She the main support, along with Birmingham’s pop- for Built To Spill was to change the band’s Set Sail. punkers Beat Union and rap-rockers Imperial line-up for every album with him as the only BEELZEBOZO + JUNKIE BRUSH + Leisure. constant. The plan worked for a couple of PHANTOM THEORY: The Hobgoblin, MICAH P HINSON: The Academy – Having albums before he relented, although it remains Bicester – Heavyweight rock night, with intense survived a religious upbringing and a turbulent a fluid collective even now. Meanwhile, metal noise from Beelzebozo, melodic punk teenage life that involved drug addiction and jail, experience of Built To Spill’s live shows thrash from Junkie Brush and barnstorming Texan songsmith Hinson has plenty to sing about, suggests a man on a mission to dismantle his hardcore riffage from Phantom Theory. and he does it with a wonderfully gravelly voice art at every opportunity, taking heaven-sent CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford that conveys all the tender sorrow in his melodies and leaving them bloodied and Community Centre grandiose country-rock songs, with occasional bruised amid a dizzying mix of complex OPEN MIC SESSION: The Half Moon echoes of Smog’s Bill Callahan structures and atmospherics and sheer bloody OPEN MIC SESSION: Fat Lil’s, Witney JAZZ CLUB: The Bullingdon – Keyboard noise. 1997’s ‘Perfect From Now On’ was the ECLECTRICITY: The Cellar – Electro, bassline player Howard Peacock and his funky jazz band’s major label debut, and tonight’s show and fidget house club night. Quintet are tonight’s guests. finds them playing it in its entirety. It’s a SIMON & COLIN FLETCHER + MAEVE wonderful record that’s easily stood the test of th BAYTON + JON FLETCHER + SAMANTHA FRIDAY 14 time, inspired by the likes of , TWIGG-JOHNSON: East Oxford + HOWLING BELLS: The Pavement and Dinosaur Jr, a likeminded peer Community Centre – Acoustic night with local Academy – Kings of lysergic Americana discover of Flaming Lips’ ‘The Soft Bulletin’ and a folk luminaries. their electronic side – see main preview major influence on bands like The Strokes, INTRUSION: The Cellar – Goth, industrial and FLIPRON + MISTY’S BIG ADVENTURE: The Modest Mouse and Death Cab For Cutie. It’s a darkwave club night with DJs Doktor Joy and Academy – Whimsical Hammond-led an alternately languid and corrosive blend of Bookhouse. psychedelic pop in the vein of and spiralling psychedelia, grunge, dreamy 60s pop The Kinks from Glastonbury’s Flipron, out on and folk. If it were released today by a new th tour with Birmingham’s madcap Misty’s Big band, it’d be hailed as a masterwork, a classic WEDNESDAY 12 Adventure, favourites over the of modern Americana. Whether Martsch gives SOILWORK + ONE WAY MIRROR: years with their quirky, vaudevillian orchestral two hoots about its limited popular success is The Academy – Melodic, riff-heavy death pop and a bloke in a giant costume made of blue debatable; give him his commercial and metal from ’s Soilwork, out on a rubber gloves. critical dues he’d doubtless work even harder European tour. SLIDE: The Academy – House club night. to mess things up. LOAD.CLICK.SHOOT + CASSETTES: The Wheatsheaf – Jerky post-punk dance-pop from THE CHEESEGRATERS: The Bullingdon – Devon L.C.S, very much in the vein of Foals and Madcap cover version craziness. style remains undiminished and his back catalogue Q & Not U. QUICKFIX PRESENTS with NOT MY DAY + should get a good airing tonight. BEAVER FUEL + PHANTOM THEORY + THIN COP ON THE EDGE + ECHOBOOMER: The ANDY DE ROSA: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Rootsy GREEN CANDLES: The Port Mahon – Wheatsheaf – Blokish 60s-style harmony rock southern blues-rockers. Inconsistent but entertaining punk rocking from from Not My Day at tonight’s Quickfix BARSTOCK: The Port Mahon Beaver Fuel, plus inventive lo-fi riffage from presentation, plus London’s Devo-ish Cop On REGGAE REGGAE SUNDAY: The Cellar – Phantom Theory and dark-hued electronic The Edge and taut, atmospheric indie types Reggae and dub club night. experimentation from TGC. Echoboomer, taking on some ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC NIGHT: The Red PHAT SESSIONS: The Cellar – Live jam night influences. Lion, Kidlington with house band. SMALL FAKERS: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Tribute OPEN MIC SESSION: The Temple to The Small Faces and Steve Marriot. MONDAY 10th ASYLUM: The Bullingdon AMY BEE + OUTCRY + JULIA MIRIAM JONES: The Jericho Tavern – Acoustic pop in DON CABALLERO + SECOND SMILE + th the style of Dido and KT Tunstall from Amy Bee. HREDA: The Regal – Math-rocking par THURSDAY 13 BACKROOM BOOGIE: The Bullingdon excellence – see main preview YOUTHMOVIES + : The GET DOWN: The Brickworks GILES HEDLEY & THE AVIATORS: The Academy – The local math-emo post-rock BOSSAPHONIK: The Cellar – Live jazz Bullingdon – Midlands-based guitarist, singer experimental pioneers head out on another dance. and harmonica player and UK blues veteran with national tour, in support of new EP, ‘Polyp’, a career going back to the 60s. A long-standing where they’re joined by Oregon performance th favourite on the European blues festival circuit, poet Adam Gnade, who is also tour support, as SATURDAY 15 Hedley’s rootsy slide and bottleneck guitar well as members of Blanket and 65 Daysofstatic. AUDIOSCOPE: The Jericho Tavern – Kid 606 playing, along with his simultaneous mouth and Simultaneously convoluted, awkward and headlines this year’s Shelter benefit mini-festival nose harp playing draws on traditional Delta and exhilarating, Youthmovies’ current position as – see main preview RAGGASAURUS + GTA + LOOSE GRIP: The SUNDAY 16th Academy – TCT Music and Nightshift’s On A BETHANY WEIMERS + AIDEN CANADAY: Saturday collaboration discovers its dance side – The Port Mahon – Free acoustic gig with dark- see main preview hearted local songstress Bethany Weimers and MEPHISTO GRANDE + DEATH VALLEY guests, plus an open mic session. RIDERS: The Wheatsheaf – The mighty ELLIOT MINOR: The Academy – Former Mephisto Grande delve into the darkest corners choristers and McFly support band water down of blues, southern gothic country and Beefheart- the punk-pop blueprint just a little more for the ian weirdness. delectation of drooling zombies. TROUBLE Vs GLUE: The Cellar – Vacuous STEPHEN FRETWELL: The Jericho Tavern – Pop presents Italian lo-fi electro-popsters The bard of Scunthorpe returns to his solo guise Trouble Vs Glue, coming on like a decidedly after spending the last few months on tour as part wonky collision between Stereolab and Deerhoof. of Last Shadow Puppets. Having spent the past TRANSFORMATION / TRASHY / ROOM few years supporting everyone from Oasis and 101: The Academy Elbow to Keane and KT Tunstall, he should be a STYLE: The Regal – With D Ramirez – bigger star now but his sombre, gravelly, bile-filled Monday 10th Sheffield’s veteran DJ and hitmaker Dean acoustic pop perhaps isn’t soft-centred enough Ramirez brings his trademark electrohouse to for mass consumption, although having DON CABALLERO: Style’s party. soundtracked Gavin & Stacey with his song ‘Run’, OX4: The Bullingdon – Drum&bass club night. he’s probably better known to people than they The Regal EAR-POPPING CANDY: The Port Mahon realise. Probably the definitive math-rock band, ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC NIGHT: The Red although they always disowned the tag, Monday 10th Lion, Kidlington Pittsburgh’s Don Caballero have always been LAB PARTNER: Ultimate Picture Palace more influential than commercially successful FUCKED UP: (2.30pm) – 75 minutes of experimental and there are a good few bands in Oxford filmmakers, animators, musicians, artists, poets who’ll be lurking near the front of tonight’s The Academy and VJs. Including films by Jon Yeo, David gig to see just how they do it. Of course the Given the incessant, dull drip, drip, drip of OReilly and Beeple, and music from Telefon Tel current incarnation of the Cabs isn’t the one plastic, manufactured so-called hardcore Aviv, David Fenech, Gablé, and many more, in aid which made landmark albums like 1998’s coming over the Atlantic in recent years, it’s of homeless charity Shelter. ‘Whatever Burns Never Returns’. Only all the more refreshing to welcome a real-deal drummer Damon Che remains from the punk band across the Pond – albeit from MONDAY 17th original line-up, although there has always Canada. Toronto’s Fucked Up aren’t AYNSLEY LISTER BAND: The Bullingdon – been a fluid personnel, even before their 2000 legendary quite yet, but they will be in years Heavy duty blues-rock from the acclaimed young split, after which guitarist Ian Williams went to come when their name is mentioned British guitarist, equally at home playing it raw on to form Battles. It was his unique guitar alongside Minor Threat and NOFX, from and acoustic or pumping it up Hendrix-style on style, along with Che’s flamboyant, whom they take massive inspiration. The the electric. unorthodox drumming that made Don band’s stock-in-trade is highly-charged Caballero’s reputation with their five albums hardcore thrash, sometimes tempered by TUESDAY 18th on Touch And Go Records through the 90s, strings, orchestral guitar , horns, fusing elements of jazz, post-rock, metal and + ASOBI SEKSU: The Academy nods to or classic British indie, and contemporary into a complex, – Gig of the year? Gig of every year since time invested with a raging political heart that intricately-scored, multi-sectioned began? Quite possibly – see main preview resists token sloganeering in favour of instrumental whole. Having recruited a new THE DRESDENS + APOLOGIES I HAVE dissections of anything from organised band around him, many from bands originally NONE: The Wheatsheaf – Blitzkrieg garage religion to the Canadian sex trade. Genuine inspired by The Cabs, Che continues to take metal from the heart of the sun from The facts about Fucked Up aren’t easy to come centre stage, his fervent mix of Keith Moon, Dresdens. by, the band’s biographies are full of Stewart Copeland and John Bonham JAZZ CLUB: The Bullingdon – With jazz misinformation and oblique blogs. What we dominating the guitars. It’s not easy music to guitar-led guests The Howard Turner Band. do know is that their singer is called Pink listen to by any means but as a lesson in how MIS-SHAPES: The Cellar – Indie club night. Eyes and can often be found naked and to defy rock’s fundamental rules, it remains a peerless spectacle. bleeding in the middle of the crowd during th their riotous gigs (literally riotous in the case WEDNESDAY 19 of one impromptu midnight SXSW show). THE VIEW + HOLY GHOST REVIVAL: The Drive-In, while Shield Your Eyes give it some in They also released over 25 singles in their Academy – Dundee’s indie rockers return with the angular, wired math-rock stakes. One-man first four years together before moving into the follow-up to their debut ‘Hats Off To The band Theo recalls Battles and The Mars Volta full albums, the latest of which is the superb Buskers’ debut, hoping to emulate the success of with his experimental loops and beats. ‘The Chemistry Of Modern Life’, which singles like ‘Wasted Little DJs’ and radio hit MURCOF + OREN MARSHALL: The breathes new life into an often tired genre, ‘’. Washington State rockers Holy Holywell Music Room – Mexican composer recalling the best bits of Killdozer, Minor Ghost Revival support. Murcof performs as part of Oxford Contemporary Threat, Germs and even Crass at times. ANATHALLO: The Regal – Michigan’s Music’s autumn season, mixing brooding They’re exactly what punk needs right now. expansive, celebratory folk-infused pop wonders electronics with contemporary classical sounds, make their first trip to Oxford, promoting new including live brass, strings and woodwind sections, album, ‘Canopy Glow’ and armed with an with visuals from Italian artists xx +xy. Pioneering anthemic, orchestral form of pop that treads electric tuba player Oren Marshall, meanwhile, close to Sufjan Stevens and Broken Social Scene. mixes up jazz, classical and world music with an JAMES MORRISON: The New Theatre – A improvised approach to performance. man who won a Brit Award last year for Best Male REIGN UPON US: The Port Mahon – Free Solo Artist after someone mistook the word showcase gig featuring local metal acts. woeful for soulful. FOX CUBS + THE WIRELESS + VIXENS + PAPIER TIGRE + SHIELD YOUR EYES + UTE: The Jericho Tavern – Reading’s indie rock THEO: The Wheatsheaf – Another quality hopefuls Fox Cubs take inspiration from The night of leftfield sounds from Poor Girl Noise, Killers and . with Nantes’ Papier Tigre mixing up a well of WORSMITH: Folly Bridge Inn – Laid-back metallic post-hardcore, psych-rock and jazz, London rapper out on tour. somewhere between Can, and At The OPEN MIC SESSION: The Temple THE WHIP: The Academy – Manchester’s years. Former-Darkness chaps Stone Gods return electro-pop indie dance revivalists take note of to town, bringing together and metal their home city’s musical legacy, owing much to sounds from the past 30 years. New Order and Happy Mondays, but with a fresh STYLE: The Regal – Freestylers mix up funky dancefloor-friendly pop twist. and hard house, hip hop and breaks, while veteran SKYLARKIN with DJ WRONGTOM: The Radio 1 DJ Annie Nightingale brings her signature Academy – Not a faulty sat-nav system, but south breakbeat tunes. London DJ and Hard-Fi’s in-house remixer is THE SHAKER HEIGHTS + CHALK: The tonight’s guest DJ at Skylarkin’s weekly club night. Wheatsheaf – Luxurious rootsy rock and He’ll be spinning a mix of post-punk, hip hop and Americana from the unassumingly excellent reggae, alongside Count Skylarkin’s regular ska, Shaker Heights. reggae, soul and funk set. THE DELTA FREQUENCY + ELAPSE-O + BLAZE BAYLEY: The Bullingdon – The PHANTOM THEORY: The Cellar – Electro- Friday 14th former-Wolfsbane and Iron Maiden frontman glam stomping from The Delta Frequency, plus returns to action with his new band, taking a darker experimental noise from Elapse-O and riff-heavy MERCURY REV: metal path to his Maiden work. lo-fi rocking from Phantom Theory. THEO TRAVIS: The Wheatsheaf – Spin jazz KING EARL BOOGIE BAND: Fat Lil’s, The Academy club with progressive jazz flautist and saxophonist Witney – and boogie, featuring former Like any great road movie, Mercury Rev’s Theo Travis. members of Status Quo and Mungo Jerry. story takes all manner of plot twists while VULTURES + CAT MATADOR: The Cellar THREE BLIND MICE PRESENTS: The Port always capturing the cinematic open spaces of FRANKIE’S WHISKY NIGHT: The Port Mahon – Three live bands for three quid. Simple, the world they travel through. From the Mahon – Relaxing night of single malt-infused eh? chaos, addiction, violence and near collapse of music. TRANSFORMATION / TRASHY / ROOM 101: their early days to the glorious rebirth with CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford The Academy ‘Deserter’s Songs’ and beyond, New York Community Centre REGGAE & SOUL CLUB NIGHT: The State’s cosmic dreamers have never let the OPEN MIC SESSION: The Half Moon Bullingdon grass grow under their feet. And so, ten years after that landmark album, which saw the band FRIDAY 21st SUNDAY 23rd instated as leaders of modern day Americana, SHOW OF HANDS: The Academy – Steve IDA MARIA: The Academy – The Norwegian and bassist crowned most in- Knightley and Phil Beer – recently voted Greatest songstress, and contender for the title of Young demand rock producer on the planet, The Rev Ever Devonians, ahead of Sir Francis Drake – Female , returns to town, now riding high find themselves exploring more new ground. celebrate 18 years together on the road, displaying on the back of sexy hit ‘I Like You Better When With ‘Snowflake Midnight’ they’ve almost their virtuoso style of traditional acoustic folk. You’re Naked’, musically coming on a bit like completely dispensed with guitars and drums in JAMES YORKSTON + PICTISH TRAIL + Björk fronting The Strokes with her idiosyncratic, favour of free-to-use online electronics ROZI PLAIN: The Bullingdon – Charming, poppy take on garage-punk, but live possessed of a programmes and beats and lyrically descended witty and unassuming folk from Scottish great, unpredictable performing nature. into existentialism. While their stock in trade troubadour and Fence Collective member ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC NIGHT: The Red remains a spaced-out, star-gazing form of (alongside KT Tunstall and the Beta Band amongst Lion, Kidlington psychedelia and sumptuous classic orchestral others), Yorkston, a master of romantic, early- REGGAE REGGAE SUNDAY: The Cellar rock, now they’re referencing Michael hours confessionals and, in his time, tour support Nyman, Brian Eno and Neu!. Mercury Rev’s to everyone from Bert Jansch to John Martyn as MONDAY 24th last headline show in Oxford saw them well s collaborating with Four-Tet. Fence founder eclipsed by the support band, a certain FINCH + SHADOWS CHASING GHOSTS: Pictish Trail supports, making his first forays into The Academy – California’s emo popularisers Flaming Lips, but the cluttered prog noodling playing his own songs, lo-fi folk-pop that sees the of that show is gone now and they’re doing Finch return from their two-year hiatus and head light of day on debut album ‘When The Laar Rolls back off on the road what they do best, creating delicately huge, In’. chemically-altered music that wonders at the BIG DEZ BAND: The Bullingdon – Rocking LEGO CASTLES + VIXENS + WE DO KUNG- Texas-style blues from Parisian singer and guitarist beauty of butterfly wings, squirrels and FU: The Wheatsheaf – Swiss Concrete club night snowflakes while sounding like it could eat the Phil Fernandez and band, paying tribute to Alberts with Bath’s fluffy, lo-fi indie-synth-poppers Lego Collins and King. cosmos. Whatever the path they choose, that Castles coming on in a Los Campesinos vein, while is the simple beauty they always carry with Hereford’s We Do Kung Fu offer frantically twee th them. electro-punk-pop in an 80s style. TUESDAY 25 THE REYNERS + EXIT TEN + SPIRO SPERO: DIONNE WARWICK: The New Theatre – The ASYLUM: The Bullingdon The Port Mahon soul, r’n’b and lounge-pop legend runs through FREE RANGE: The Cellar DEFT LEPPARD: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Tribute to nearly 50 years of hitmaking. the gazillion-selling heavy rockers. JAZZ CLUB: The Bullingdon – With a live set THURSDAY 20th OUTRAZE + JOE PARKER & THE MIGHTY from The Howard Peacock Quintet. POW + THE LATE GREATS + RAGTIME KAPOW: The Cellar NME ROCK’N’ROLL RIOT with PRIMAL EWAN: The Jericho Tavern SCREAM: The Academy – Our love-hate BACKROOM BOOGIE: The Bullingdon th relationships with and co. WEDNESDAY 26 GET DOWN: The Brickworks continues as the Primals ride back into town for TASTE MY EYES + BLACK SKIES BURN + FRESH OUT OF THE BOX: The Cellar – their first Oxford gig in over five years, and it feels VISION FALL: The Port Mahon – Triple bill of House, breaks and techno club night. like a very, very long time since the great local metal and hardcore talent play a free ‘XTMNTR’. More recently we’ve had to endure showcase gig. nd the disappointing ‘Riot City Blues’ and this year’s SATURDAY 22 MY AMERICAN HEART: The Academy – San eclectic but unconvincing ‘’, with A SILENT FILM + INTERNATIONAL Diego’s pop-punk favourites. its mix of krautrock, gospel, Fleetwood Mac and JETSETTERS + MOTION IN COLOUR: The PHAT SESSIONS: The Cellar traditional Stones-y rocking. You wish they’d get Academy – This month’s Nightshift covers stars OPEN MIC SESSION: The Temple back to doing what they’re best at – ripping off headline tonight’s On A Saturday gig – see main ASYLUM: The Bullingdon Suicide – and Gillespie would stop with his 6th-form preview political diatribes and lyrics. Revolutionary AIRBOURNE + STONE GODS + SOUND & THURSDAY 27th rhetoric always sound a bit fake coming from a FURY: The Academy – Quite a night for classic SKYLARKIN with MAX ROMEO + middle-aged man more commonly sighted mixing heavy rock with ’s no-frills power rockers RAGGASAURUS: The Academy – Jamaican with the great and the good at art exhibitions than showing why they’ve supported the likes of legend Max Romeo make a return visit to manning the barricades in Peckham. Motley Crue and The Rolling Stones in recent Skylarkin’. Best known in the UK for his solitary Top 10 hit in 1969, ‘Wet Dream’, an innuendo- godfather of Jamaican music. The Prodigy laden novelty that made the most of a radio ban. extensively sampled him, while Madness covered But his best work was in the 70s when he teamed him on their ‘Dangermen Sessions’. Local Arab- up with Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, notably on the now dub reggae faves Raggasaurus support, while Count legendary ‘War Ina Babylon’. One of reggae’s most Skylarkin’ spins ska, soul, reggae, funk and influential singers, Romeo has covered most styles rock’n’roll classics. of reggae in his time and is widely regarded as a true JUNKIE BRUSH + DEDLOK + THE CRUSHING: The Bullingdon – Moshka goes heavy with melodic thrash-punkers Junkie Brush, Saturday 15th monster Dedlok and The Crushing, featuring former members of Near Life Experience. AUDIOSCOPE: JOHN DONALDSON: The Wheatsheaf – th McCoy Tyner-influenced pianist Donaldson is the Tuesday 18 The Jericho Tavern guest at tonight’s Spin jazz club. LADYTRON / ASOBI Since its inception, Audioscope’s annual YOUNG PLAYTHINGS: The Port Mahon – fundraising mini-festival has raised almost Sunshiney power-pop. SEKSU: The Academy £20,000 for homeless charity Shelter. Just as THE MANACLES OF ACID: The Jericho What a double bill. What a double bill! This important, on a different level, is its Tavern – Analogue synth craziness. has every potential to be gig of the year, and continuing showcasing of the best underground, WILL YOUNG: The New Theatre – No, we still maybe gig of several years to come. leftfield and downright maniacal music talents can’t find it in ourselves to forgive him for that Nightshift’s favourite band on the planet, from around the world. Last year’s show, version of ‘Light My Fire’. Yeah, we’ll light a fire, Ladytron, are so cool they could reverse global featuring krautrock legends Rother and Möbius, mate. Under your bed while you’re asleep in it. warming just by looking at it. Within their as well as Einstellung and the incredible Shit & MARIANA MAGNAVITA + HADAR MANOR: steely, detached machine pop beats a very Shine was easily the best gig of 2007, and if Baby Simple – Sweet, soulful acoustic pop from human heart; one that just wants to dance, this year’s event takes place in the more the local Latino songstress. dance and dance some more. Having taken intimate setting of the Jericho, the quality is CATWEAZLE CLUB: East Oxford their cues from , The Normal, Gary typically high and varied. Headliner is San Community Centre Numan and John Foxx, and added some soul by Francisco-based Venezuelan DJ and producer OPEN MIC SESSION: The Half Moon way of and Mira Aroyo’s Kid 606, out in a class of one in the genre of OPEN MIC SESSION: Fat Lil’s, Witney seductive android vocals, they’re retro-futurist glitchy, hardcore techno ECLECTRICITY: The Cellar perfection personified. From their 2001 debut breakcore. He paints from a broad canvas and album, ‘604’, through to this year’s th can be hit or miss but with a grounding in doom FRIDAY 28 ‘’, they’ve continued to evolve and metal and industrial noise, his take on DIY THE TRAVELLING BAND: The Cellar – augment their classic analogue synth sound electro is unique and often visionary. Joining Rootsy Americana and bucolic psychedelia from with live guitar and drums, while retaining an him on today’s bill are ’ angular, sludgy Manchester’s answer to Goldrush. otherworldly presence. Really, it doesn’t math-core riffmongers That Fucking Tank, THE CHRISTIAN WALLUMROD ENSEMBLE: matter how forward thinking any sci-fi authors who belie their sparse two-piece set-up with a Holywell Music Room – OCM present the might be, they couldn’t have envisaged big, big noise. Then there’s The Oscillation, Nordic jazz man. futuristic music as great as Ladytron. who mix spooked psychedelia with eerie, QUEEN OF CLUBS CABARET: Isis Tavern On any other occasion, New York’s Asobi ambient electronics and folky space-rock; Iffley Lock – Live music and cabaret including Seksu would stars of the show: their last visit Belfast’s dark, eerie dubstep leader Boxcutter; slam-poet punk-funk collective Inflatable Buddha, to town a year ago displayed a band with a Hey Colossus, with an eye-of-the-storm plus singer and double bassist Susanna Starling. playful grasp of pop power with few equals, a brand of sheet metal noise and lupine howling; THE PURPLE PROJECT: Fat Lil’s, Witney – shoegazing, electro-rocking storm of noise Bristol’s french-horn-led seven-piece Soeza, Classic Deep Purple covers. with a fragile songbird in the form of Japanese coming on like a cute Sweep The Leg Johnny, THE JOHN OTWAY BIG BAND: The Jericho vocalist Yuki Chikudate at its heart. plus former-Komakino people You Animals, Tavern – The Clown Prince of punk and rock and Unashamedly in thrall to My Bloody Valentine bringing a little melodic respite with their spiky roll’s self-proclaimed greatest loser returns with and , they’re a riot of glitter, indie-punk. Holding up the Oxford side of more madcap stunts and musical silliness. shrapnel and raw fuzz and you will love them. things are gorgeous, melancholic popstrels BACKROOM BOOGIE: The Bullingdon God, we’re excited! Witches; ethereal post-rock soundscapists The Workhouse and of course Audioscope SATURDAY 29th indebted revivalism from the hosts and electro-hellmongers Sunnyvale Walthamstow crew. THE HALF RABBITS + TRISTAN & THE Noise Sub-Element. A day of great musical DJ SPOONY: The Regal – Former Radio 1 and TROUBADOURS + SPACE HEROES OF THE challenges then, but also sublime pleasures. Dreem Team garage champion, turned 6-0-6 PEOPLE: The Academy – Last of this month’s presenter continues his live DJing duties, plus sets On A Saturday series of local showcase gigs with from FM 107.9’s Spex, Archie Bizzle and Darren D. dark-minded indie rockers Half Rabbits headlining – TRANSFORMATION / TRASHY / ROOM 101: see main preview The Academy GAPPY TOOTH INDUSTRIES with PHISH: The Bullingdon – 90s pop, rock and EUHEDRAL + SEMAPHORE + DEATH OF A indie club night. SMALL TOWN: The Wheatsheaf – Reliably HQ: The Cellar – Drum&bass session. mixed bag at tonight’s GTI with minimalist electronic experimentation, loops, drones, glitches th and effects from Euhedral, plus Americanised folk SUNDAY 30 from Semaphore and theatrical pop from DOAST. COLLISIONS & CONSEQUENCES + NINE-STONE COWBOY + BLACK POWDER ARCHIE: The Wheatsheaf – Melodic punk-pop + DEDLOK + TWAT DADDIES + THE OX4 and post-hardcore. ALLSTARS: The Port Mahon – Epic but BIG BLUES JAM: Fat Lil’s, Witney – Monthly personal indie rocking from NSC, plus hardcore open blues jam session with in-house band. All punk from Black Powder and metalcore from welcome. Nightshift Demo Of The Monthers Dedlok. ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC NIGHT: The Red THE RIFLES: The Academy – More Jam- Lion, Kidlington

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THE SUBWAYS The Academy I wasn’t really expecting to like . The Welwyn Garden City trio’s debut album, ‘’, was released in 2005 and completely passed me by in the flurry of mid- 2000s post-punk garage rock and bands with plural names all starting with ‘The’. Since then however, singer and guitarist Billy Lunn and bassist Charlotte Cooper have split up, Billy’s had nodules on his vocal chords and they’ve recorded a second album in LA with Butch Vig. All these things have influenced the result, this year’s ‘All or Nothing’, a record which has made me regret my indifference. Tonight’s set neatly highlights the contrast between the first and second albums. The audience favourite ‘’, the epic ‘With You’ and the 60s-esque dollop of Ash-like nostalgia that is ‘Mary’ are more lyrically naïve, There’s no lack of energy either; Billy by virtue of its (and the band’s) appearance in whereas the new album’s ‘Kalifornia’ and current obviously thinks he’d be too hot if he wore a this year’s Guy Ritchie film, Rocknrolla. It’s single ‘Shake! Shake!’ demonstrate some social top, which lends him a slightly dodgy Iggy Pop anthemic and catchy – and ticks all the awareness; introspection is everywhere, vibe, and Charlotte’s hairdo takes quite a popularity boxes while not really being especially on ‘Always Tomorrow’ and the more thrashing. The pair obviously still share a structurally, musically or lyrically their best acoustic ‘Strawberry Blonde’. certain synergy; their voices complement each hour. Their extended performance of it allows Butch Vig’s production has resulted – or maybe other sweetly and they look to be at ease with Billy the opportunity to crowd surf and coincided – with a heavier sound; free download each other professionally, which is heartening in orchestrate a deafening screaming competition single ‘Girls and Boys’ is the heaviest they get the resentment- and anger-filled world of rock. between both halves of the audience, which tonight, though they never sacrifice a tune for They finish with ‘Rock & Roll Queen’, a three- goes on for ages and leaves everyone on a high. noise. year-old song which must be their best known, Kirsten Etheridge

THIS TOWN NEEDS GUNS / JONQUIL ALAN TYLER & THE LOST SONS OF The Academy LITTLEFIELD / THE MARMADUKES The Academy is bulging. Full Weather For Ducks’, and no longer upstairs and down, so I get snarled eclectically original. But, as I say, I The Bullingdon up in the snaking queue outside the like the way Jonquil have moved on The Marmadukes give tonight’s with it, rather like the Backroom at ticket booth and miss the first part up from being a wheezy, open-mic show a high-energy start, playing the Bully where they quickly of This Town Needs Guns’ set. night collective to a fully-muscled four or five numbers without a sound right at home. Though the Two minutes after pressing into the band, jostling for their second break that lifts the songs are mainly the usual alt- wall of bodies at the rear of the hall I division place in the mainstream- immediately. With a pedal steel country mix of loneliness, pain, can’t say I mind crossover league vacated by Elbow’s guitar laying down some complex yearning and stiff upper lips Gone is TTNG’s 2006 wide-screen recent move to the Premiership. ethereal runs against a hard-driving (‘Cowboys Don’t Cry’) tonight’s lushness, and in has come the anally Like Ewan McColl morphing into bass and drums, and plaintive riffs set is more upbeat and spreads math-y, Steve Hackett-like guitar Stephen Bishop or Christopher on (think mariachi plus more warmth than when the band noodle of the age with its attendant Cross, they have a real Disney shine Miles Davis influence), their alt- were last sighted at the Jericho. scuttling drum shuffle. It’s jazzy, about them tonight. They still need style has a pleasing Tyler’s lived-in, lilting voice is even proggy, with its tight time to sort out the knotty problem of otherworldliness. Tom from the beguiling and the rest of the band changes and has musos in the crowd song structure though, as their best Roundheels makes a welcome re- are quality and make you think nodding approval to each other in and most inventive ideas, like appearance and his playing there are far more of them. The the darkness. Stuart Smith’s vocals, ‘Parasol’, bloom excitingly for a adds a touch of class but it’s a pity sometimes has me looking once soaring wings on wind minute or so, then annoyingly that the sax sound of their other for a harmonica player, and the lead currents, is now buffeted by the wither on the vine. Even more guest, Gerry, is largely inaudible. guitar for a pedal steel. And then turbulent music into the needling annoying is if they do try to extend Vocalist, songwriter and main man there are the moves the bass player whine of a teenager who has chores them, all they can come up with is Nick is confident and relaxed and makes, which would be naff if to do round the house. They sign for the whole band to sing (and bear this helps the band, as well as the made by someone lacking his class. off to their biggest cheer with ‘26 Is with me on this) “Wooooe -Ah, crowd, enjoy the gig. I like Nick’s Thankfully a raid, which goes Dancier Than 4’, which distils all Wooooe-Ah, Woooooeeee- slightly strangled back-of-the- unnoticed by those doing faux line the pretensions of the above into AAAHHH”. Repeat this five times, throat vocal sound and tonight you dancing down the front, from a something memorable, but already in each of three different songs. can hear more of the words. The hygiene hit squad accompanied by I’ve forgotten what it is. Come on boys, if you have the Marmadukes might never become PC Plod doesn’t find any bugs on I like Jonquil a lot. But what is it radical genius to rhyme the word regular headliners but they’re well the Bully’s pint glasses, so the gig with Oxford bands and ? I Castles with Arseholes, then you worth their place on tonight’s doesn’t suffer an early close. The can quickly count seven in my head, can do a lot better than stand there, ticket. band and the crowd are able to and the solitary brass motif in each short changing us, like Brian Wilson Alan Tyler and the Lost Sons of carry on creating much mutual is now beginning to make them all and the English Beachboys. Littlefield look a bit bedraggled and enjoyment. sound like Lemon Jelly’s ‘Nice Paul Carrera worn but seem very comfortable Colin May THE LAST DANCE / SCREAMING ROOTS MANUVA BANSHEE AIRCREW The Academy For all of the genre-hopping, multifaceted production evident across The Cellar Roots Manuva’s four albums, he’s become a huge presence on the UK Every second Tuesday of the month Intrusion provides a suitably hip hop scene as much through force of personality as anything else. subterranean sanctuary for local goth fans. Tonight the club hosts Affable, conversational and self-deprecating (“I’m just a UK black California’s leading darkwave proponents The Last Dance, who have making UK tracks”, he understates on ‘Colossal Insight’), it’s Rodney headlined the Witby goth weekend, along with Leicester’s fantastically- Smith who shines through the Roots Manuva persona. His laconic monikered Screaming Banshee Aircrew. delivery, charisma and refreshing lack of posturing make him one of the The Aircrew are a motley bunch but they have a bit character and colour, most engaging presences in UK hip hop. and a sense of humour. Although our view of the expansive line-up is Happily, this translates in his live show, with Smith predisposed to obscured by the huge plume of peacock feather attached to the woman in throw witty asides in amongst his weightier observations, and content to front of us, we’re quickly reminded of 80s pop-inclined gothsters The throw some pantomime-style fun and games amongst his more than March Violets, mostly due to the male-female vocal interaction. But it’s the accomplished MCing. He ends with a hands-in-the-air singalong of Princess Leia look-alike on that makes the band, adding an edge to ‘Dreamy Days’, turning it into a strange mixture of breathy, introspective their best songs, which lean towards Virgin Prunes’ sleazy dark rock. They hip hop and West End musical show-stopper. He even tries to make us spoil it a bit by being rather too cheery between songs and also by believe that there will be no ‘Witness’, and that, yes okay, he’ll do it just sounding worryingly like Chumbawamba for a while, but the Cramps-y this once, but just for us because we’re a special audience. What a card. number that closes their set finds them redeemed. Yet despite the undoubted quality of the music and Smith’s engaging, The Last Dance are more the typical face of contemporary dark rock, genial personality, the live show still leaves something to be desired. gruff, growly and synth-heavy. Initially they sound like a hardbeat take on Other than Manuva, the remaining assortment of MCs, backing singer , or The Cure all mixed up with Cassandra Complex, and two token bobbing blokes behind decks and samplers don’t offer spidery atmospherics rubbing up against propulsive beats. It’s imposing much to hold the attention. What’s more, the sound system lets the side stuff, but after a while it heads up a blind alley. Playing over an hour, you down on a few occasions, overemphasising the throb of the low end: start to wish they’d adopt some of Screaming Banshee Aircrew’s much of the sparkle and detail of the excellent, meticulously-detailed personality. But perhaps showing your human side is anathema to their production is completely lost in the squelchy morass of the PA. All of whole philosophy. And on a night when this reviewer’s dark grey jacket is which means that it’s even more important for Manuva’s personality to the lightest colour in the house, such black-hearted showmanship is very carry the show through – thankfully a task he’s more than up to. much the order of the day. Stuart Fowkes Ian Chesterton

RACHEL UNTHANK & THE WINTERSET / NANCY ELIZABETH The Holywell Music Room Tonight’s Holywell concert is another fiddle. The sisters’ Northumbrian heritage typically inspired and astute piece of and character is at the heart of what they programming by Oxford Contemporary do and communicate, from the traditional Music, pairing Mercury Prize nominees songs they remake to the warmth and fun Rachel Unthank and the Winterset with of their interaction with the audience. Manchester singer/songwriter Nancy Rachel’s name has the high profile but Elizabeth in an evening of folk and I guess Becky has at least as evocative and what is called post-folk. moving a voice. Nancy Elizabeth lays her vocal ability They play most of the material from the and artistic integrity on the line straight acclaimed album ‘The Bairns’, plus a away, walking onstage and effortlessly haunting, unaccompanied song from the singing a beautiful Spanish song a Shetlands in the ancient Norn language. But cappella. Her voice is wonderful - clear as the songs that work best are not always the a bell and stunning in range and emotional ones you’d expect. A whirling take on compass while retaining all the character Jacques Brel’s ‘Amsterdam’ is a bit too of her northern roots. Beyond the obvious in its histrionics, while Robert disarming modesty of her stage presence, Wyatt’s excellent ‘Sea Song’ comes across her songs have real depth and imagination. as rather leaden. But there are many special The folk idiom is never really completely moments. ‘Blackbird’ is a lovely song, 876084 passed over but she sometimes edges it penned by song-writer pianist Belinda into territory of PJ Harvey, and even O’Hooley whose playing and writing fellow Mancunians in the contributed so much the atmosphere of the dark power of ‘The Canopy to Fall’. ‘The Bairns’. Most stunning of all is ‘Coriander’ is a love song on a merry-go- ‘Newcastle Lullaby’, sung in a round by all round of gentle surrealism while she ends four band members which is mesmerising in the set with an older song, ‘I Used to its control and beauty. Part of this group’s Try’, which, with its characterful message quality is that rare ability to make folk of self-belief and self-determination, seems sound contemporary and relevant and yet as good a personal manifesto as any. still wear their heart on their sleeves. They Riding high on the crest of their Mercury encore with ‘Farweel Regality’, which Prize exposure, Rachel Unthank and the fairly drips with sentiment - a sort of Winterset have predictably made this gig a Northumbrian ‘Auld Lang Syne’ - but ROCK-POP-DANCE-GOLDEN OLDIES-INDIE- sell-out. They’re an all-female group cynicism doesn’t have much place here SOUL-TECHNO-HIP-HOP-JAZZ-LATIN-REGGAE- featuring the two Unthank sisters, Becky tonight and in the end you can’t help DRUM&BASS-GARAGE—R&B-DISCO-1950s- and Rachel, on vocals, along with Steph feeling your heart strings pulled. 2000s. Brand new back catalogue CDs £4 - £7 Conor on piano and Niopha Keegan on Steve Thompson photo: Sam Shepherd “Man Rock”, what they actually reveal about sexual difference is much more ambiguous. For Hot Leg, masculinity is something to be performed in a way which claim to be a undermines gender’s product of nature rather than clean-cut and stylized re- A culture. imagining of an eighties hair rock outfit, they look like Poison after a laundry Noir’s Vince crawl through All long locks and make-up basket. and pouting, they employ conventional signifiers of the female in order to spoof Through this paradox, masculinity. they highlight the fact that gender is always a form of drag. Of course, it seems doubtful that any of this might be in the band’s mission statement. They just want administer a none-too-deep testosterone hit for the crowd to get its rocks off to. This they do achieve, and yet ironically they are much more thought-provoking than many more avant garde and overtly quote Spinal To “intelligent” acts. to whom Hot Leg owe no Tap, such a fine line small debt, it’s between stupid and clever. Emily Gray puerility, HOT LEG The Academy presumably a a name that’s With euphemism and lyrical hooks such as “I want to do it in the dark”, Hot Leg would seem to be playing for the lowest possible common This denominator. however, belies the complex exposé of performativity and gender which the band - possibly unwittingly - As you might expect from effect. an act fronted by of The Darkness, they are an amalgam of every cock-rock cliché going: the theatrics, the thrusting riffs, the ridiculously masturbatory solos, the gratuitous cum-spattered finale towards which every song to see this as basely Yet charges. unsophisticated is to miss the point. They’re a parody of a parody ad infinitum - to the extent that they achieve a kind of Swiftian detached from any direct purity, satirical object. In this sense, their brains-between-the-(hot)-legs dumbness becomes its own post- modern commentary. They also offer an interesting study in gender construction. In spite of the penis-waving nature of the music and the insistence of their My Space page that this is still more lo-fi. He’s a troubadour still more lo-fi. He’s with a funny tale to tell and some deft, witty lyrics. ‘Bureau de Change’ proves the highlight and provokes a singalong and to quote the man himself, he really is a “millionaire in yen”. Arctic Circle have a lot to follow, but trump the lot. They’re nowhere near as lo-fi as I expected, but exuberant, funny and multi- faceted. Sometimes they’re a little like Los Campesinos! with the more irritating bits taken out. Other times they’re layering loads of noise over the end of a song. The other thing that sets them apart is that usually acts with two vocalists noticeably stronger have one that’s than the other, but not in this case. They swap over regularly and seamlessly; he more laid back and tender, she more hyper and excitable. They make the kind of crazed, ramshackle pop that sounds like pots and pans rattling in a kitchen too close to the railway line as a train goes past. They make me smile, which is the best thing of all. Russell Barker elements to their sound, which at elements to and frequently times is angular direction and feel. changes tempo, so much more going on. But there is they disappear into Sometimes jazz avenues only to peculiar little of reappear surfing a wave irresistible pop. Atlases feel Sometimes Maps & ideas, at like they’re jamming on others they feel like they’re sticking rigidly to a typically expansive must never formula and pattern that At the centre of all be strayed from. constant that these ideas is the one vocals, which are are Davison’s and always steeped in caution and at Highly pitched uncertainty. times apathetic, these sometimes mechanical songs are lent a human element by Davison which gives them an almost childlike fragility. a lot of talk about the band There’s mixing up the organic and inorganic sounds, but tonight proves that pondering and thinking about this kind of music is basically a waste of time. Beneath all the complexities and techniques lies a bunch of songs that speak to the part of you that responds to sound on a primal level. complex night just got a lot easier. A Sam Shepherd AIN PARADE ATLASES

THE MOUNT more attention and renders things his set off mic makes people pay of such a man, but it does. Singing frail yet tender voice to come out it. You wouldn’t imagine such a wouldn’t You it. onstage, yet slightly terrifying off Rather sweet and bewildered Winston Echo is a funny fellow. Winston ‘Skyscraper’ are the best. Bewley’ and the climatic tunes of which ‘Shackleton best; they have some cracking over-populated folk-pop at its gently ushering them along. This is special, cushioning the tunes and section that makes the songs delightful stuff. It’s the horn It’s delightful stuff. stride, but when they do it’s of songs for them to get into their squeeze onstage. It takes a couple part of the fun watching them create the noise they do, but it’s all create the noise they do, but it’s people than they actually need to or ten tonight, which is far more The Mountain Parade number nine back, however fleetingly. guess, but it’s good to have them guess, but it’s long or how frequently is anyone’s MyAnalog as a promoter, for how Tonight sees the welcome return of Tonight too easy. Certainly there are math Certainly there are too easy. box labelled math-rock, that’s far box labelled math-rock, that’s to package them up in a neat little songs. Although many would rush songs. for the delicate make up of their harmonics they throw out are vital for show. The multiple notes and for show. They might be technical, but it’s not They might be technical, but it’s slightest bit flashy about them. thing: there is nothing in the The Port Mahon boggling to watch. But here’s the boggling to watch. But here’s does it whilst singing – it’s mind does it whilst singing – it’s / the whole set, and Dave Davison ECHO ARCTIC CIRCLE / WINSTON & Atlases do that kind of thing for Atlases & Halen’s fingertapping tricks? Maps fingertapping Halen’s give up. Remember Eddie Van give up. Remember Eddie accomplished guitarists unplug and accomplished guitarists in a way that would make themselves in the band. They play themselves in the band. complications have manifested It would appear those their guitars is kind of intimidating. their guitars is kind of brushing across the fretboards of brushing across the fretboards stage and just looking at their fingers stage and just looking Maps & Atlases have just taken the Atlases have Maps & alcohol. bar that curiously features no bar that curiously features ourselves at The Regal negotiating a The Regal negotiating ourselves at featured no students behind, we find featured no leaving a student night that weirdly leaving a student work, trying to find food and work, trying complicated, but forgetting about complicated, Tonight has already been Tonight MAPS & & MAPS Regal The CHARLES HAYWARD & OXFORD The Academy IMPROVISERS Powerful, intense, emotional; vocalists, but shut your eyes at adjectives many bands strive to see times and you’d never believe it. He The Port Mahon attached to their name but possibly looks healthier than I’ve ever seen You never know it all. We recently sounds like an ill-thought out no other achieves this so him, with a voice as strong as ever, witnessed The Wheatsheaf’s parade of pedal effects, but Brown successfully as ’s playing a full two hours of material engineer and landlord – who’ve redeems himself with some later Spiritualized. Essentially a rock from across their eighteen years and presumably seen a thing or two – longwavy treble tones that band with elements of country, six albums. This is very much a reduced to silent incredulity by a wouldn’t sound out of place on a gospel and droning experimentation, return to their guitar-heavy electric recording of free vocalist Phil lost Oliver Postgate project, with they’re instantly recognisable but sound after their Acoustic Mainline Minton. Whilst volume and inventive double bass difficult to define. The release of shows of the last two years; rebellion have been co-opted and accompaniment from Dom Lash new album ‘Songs In A & E’ has extraordinary events that frequently flimsily assimilated by an ever (who improbably also plays with been overshadowed by Pierce’s left the audience and band in tears. more voracious mainstream, free charmless local cock rockers, The near-fatal bout of double pneumonia ‘Soul on Fire’ from ‘A & E’ is a improv remains capable of causing Treat). Pete McPhail is superb in 2005, though the songs all pre- return to form, a simple and incomprehension, smothered throughout, whether clicking his date that episode. understated mix of melancholy and giggles, and irate walkouts that unblown flute or enlivening the Live shows are infrequent and optimism. ‘Lay Back in the Sun’ metal, punk or techno can rarely final blowing session with some always eagerly anticipated. In the takes us back to the summer of ’95, inspire. Which is not to say many keening emotive flights, clean early ‘90s they became unlikely their ‘Pure Phase’ LP the defining of its adherents are bent upon shafts of sound amid the champions of the first dance soundtrack, but shows up the creating a counter-cultural skronking morass. generation and found themselves at absence of a horn section. Towards broadside; in fact, tonight’s chatty Hayward himself veers gloriously festivals playing to tens of the end ‘Come Together’ turns into coterie of relaxed, primarily middle from near-silent stone rubbing to thousands of E-chomping, sweat- the wall of noise all the true fans are aged listeners looks tellingly like skittering hi-hat tapping, via soaked ravers literally unable to expecting and recreates the almost the AGM of some West Oxford sententious (if vague) speak. Songs got longer, the band devotional atmosphere of shows allotment. All of which is a way pronouncements on atomic physics got bigger with strings, horns, choirs from a decade ago. of observing that Oxford and heavyweight thumping a la and Dr John often playing piano but If I had to find fault, this Improvisers is something all too Shellac’s Todd Trainer. He even Pierce, always looking for new Spiritualized treads a path between rare: a group unassumingly stops mid-solo to tell a little muso challenges, moved down a gear to a the epic grandiosity of ten years ago playing music for themselves, but anecdote. Conversation of a more restrained, song-based and the delicate intimacy of the with no hint of exclusivity or musical sort when he plays with approach. acoustic outings, but it’s still a very insularity. You’re all welcome, so the other performers, somehow Tonight the air-conditioning has fine path. Alan McGee once said long as you listen. Tonight’s show allowing everybody space without been cranked up to make the Pierce is “as important to British features This Heat member ever falling into the background. normally hot Academy icy cold. culture as Neil Young is to American Charles Hayward, but we shan’t There’s a danger that descriptions Compared with earlier incarnations, culture”, and he’s probably right. mention his past again, as this gig of improv can become mere lists of a stripped-back group emerge; five Tonight I would not have wished to bears the same resemblance to a tricks and techniques, making it all musicians (Pierce now the only be anywhere else. rock legend headline showcase that sound aridly academic; however, original face) and two backing Art Lagun a side salad bears to Attack Of The this is music making in its most Killer Tomatoes. intimate, unpretentious, social Atmosphere aside, the music is guise, which is something we also impressive. The opening duo thought was unheard of in Oxford. STACEY EARLE & MARK STUART loses John Grieve’s noirish sax You never know it all. The Bullingdon under Chris Brown’s guitar, which David Murphy Being more au fait with mainstream high quality music, quickly music, I have to confess there was a removing all previous doubts. ‘phone a friend’ session prior to this Stacey’s vocals are syrupy, best gig, in which my Dad enviously likened to Nanci Griffith, whilst informed me this was one show that Mark contributes elements of John shouldn’t be missed. Hiatt, with a gruffness that balances Opening the show with a twee Stacey’s saccharine sounds. introduction that sees Stacey Earle Likewise, Stacey provides the high- profess “We have two different last pitched guitar melodies, trademark names, but we are married and to country sounds, whilst Mark’s stuff” and Mark Stuart respond rhythm guitar adds a tinge of rock with “to each other”, they launch and roll that collectively typify the straight into a song displaying the sound for which Tennessee has makings of a kids’ TV jingle and fear become infamous. begins to hit that I may have been With a show combining joint and mislead. solo sets, alongside acoustic Fortunately, the duo seem wise to numbers and fully amped songs, this and manage to swiftly move they cover 16 years-worth of away from clichéd sounds, turning material in their two hour set and their efforts to what they do best: appeared as if they would could making Americana music that unites continue all night, given half a the perfect balance of folk, country, chance. Introducing songs with rock and blues. Like any good stories as captivating as the music marriage, they play to their itself, it doesn’t take long for them strengths and compensate for each to affirm why a self-confessed other’s weaknesses, displaying Radio 1 junkie like me should take impeccable timing and an intuitive her father’s advice and step outside ability to second-guess the other’s the box from time to time. next move, which manifests itself in Lisa Ward

Andy Yorke by Liane Escorza . So how NME SAM ISAAC Tavern The Jericho one of not the easiest of tasks, to follow It’s who most popular bands, Stornoway, Oxford’s have just played a blinding set, and should perhaps have headlined. The place is absolutely heaving, yet half the audience disappears and the other half run to get drinks and start loud conversations as soon as Stornoway finish. of However, Sam Isaac gives the appearance not giving a crap. In fact, as he quietly takes the stage he looks like an old pro. From his website it would appear that this bright spark at only 21 is just that. Recently getting a record deal, he seems to be gaining some cred doing the radio plugging circles, playing as many festivals and venues as he can cram in and even gets a great mention in come we feel so underwhelmed? Sam and fellow bandmates (who surely should a school night) give a given it’s be in bed now, slick performance. These are thoughtful arrangements, powerful songs with distinctive dynamics reminiscent of Brendan Benson. ‘Fire, Fire, Fire’ is one of the tonight; throughout the set there are highlight’s overtones and nods to Snow Patrol, but Sam is His soft spoken-voice, no . verging on posh, between songs somehow gets transformed into some stilted speaking type singing, veering on Billy Bragg, that can’t seem And although this to vary beyond four tones. quirky-ness seems to work for the first few numbers, his consistency verges on the monotonous and he just can’t quite hold the audience for long. is there But given his gaining popularity, obviously a market for Sam. He would be equally at home on either Radio 1 or 2. The same crowds that love bands like The Streets will make room for him. How long they’ll let him stay in the room is guess. anyone’s Katy Jerome orke WAS The Unbelievable Truth. Tonight, he Tonight, The Unbelievable Truth. orke WAS are displayed in precise and highly-technical expertise, backed up by a and highly-technical expertise, backed up by are displayed in precise four-piece ensemble, execute a near-to-perfect blend of textured who But the long-missed TheUnbelievable Truth. journeys and impersonate Y Andy face it: let’s with reach mastery, presents his new songs with vocals that almost show is a perfect late Tonight’s crescendoes that make our spines shiver. loved-up (or not) Sunday supper. treat of toffee Liane Escorza THE DRESDENS / BLACK POWDER The Wheatsheaf Slice off your fringe and ditch the Converse: math-rock and tech meandering may be where nothing like the scenesters are at, but there’s sweating dingy punk-rock vibes and tight- packed metalcore riffs to remind you that rock’n’roll has a dark soul and a nastier temper. pit in Wheatsheaf proves an ideal the Tonight which to circle-mosh through a night of dense- riffed disaffection and metal-tinted rock: local hardcore outfit Black Power open at breakneck speed, trading high-speed riffs with Hetfield- esque vocals and pop-metal breakdowns. More metalcore than punk, they headbang gloriously The To into southern-drenched rising stars shriek early QOTSA Bones and their sludgy, vocals-falsetto mix. The Dresdens tear into their headlining set with brutal, LA hardcore-style snapshots of energy: frontman Jack Goldstein spits rabid energy at the frontline, sloping from the stage with the nerve-wracking, quasi-violent unpredictability that marks any real punk gig. Breathless and viciously thrilling, The Dresdens, who once toured with Charged GBH, fill their set – from to Black Flag- Be Sorry’ brutal anthem ‘You’ll style ‘Revolution’ – with aggressive the odd break There’s references. underground from feverish, quick-tempo three-chord changes – closer ‘Street Rats’ plunges into bass-heavy tribal ethnic beats that, in a crescendo of feedback and ear-splitting distortion, squeals The Dresdens offstage before you’ve had time for a decent pogo. With new music busy draping itself in four- minute indie epics, a night like this is a blast of and too brutal fast for pondering Too fresh air. to dally on musicianship, aggressive punk- an There’s metal-core is all too rare in Oxford. audience waiting, hungry for a headbang: viva the grisly revolution. Liz Dodds the time; so you have to the former … ALL ALL … the former YORKE / RUARRI JOSPEH / JOSPEH / RUARRI YORKE KILFORD

FUCK / KELPE Holy Fuck defy every lazy dismissal Y TT

Dale Kattack than any devotional songs of praise ever could. and it’s a sound that brings us closer to heaven and it’s with their gadgets can rock so hard, but they do, It’s unbelievable that a bunch of beardy geeks It’s house jerking and bobbing in involuntary union. fi psychedelic storm that has every body in the of the set’s gloriously cacophonous climax, a sci- gloriously of the set’s But that doesn’t capture the hard-edged power start to understand the splendour of their set. The Worlds’ at an 80s rave and you at an Worlds’ The Neu! reinterpreting Justin Hayward’s ‘War Of ‘War Neu! reinterpreting Justin Hayward’s gleaming synth lines and bass pulses. Imagine exhilarating is their militant party groove, all It’s hard to do Holy Fuck justice in print, so hard to do Holy Fuck justice It’s out an towering motorik rhythm. incessant, concentration as the drummer and bassist knock twiddling knobs and toys with fevered plugging and unplugging different keyboards, assorted gadgetry, old and new, constantly old and new, assorted gadgetry, and Graham Walsh hunch down over tables of Walsh and Graham Toronto’s Toronto’s Without even a cursory hello, Brian Borchedt during their short set. the spectacle and thrills of organic . to disagree, checking his watch half a dozen times thrown at , injecting it with all unexpectedly fun, even of the laptop chap seems the tripped-out mess of squiggles and squelches is The pair are often deliberately out of sync, and brainwashing scenes from old 60s spy thrillers. sounding like the sonic terror you get in electronics become hypnotic, at their best their tricky rhythms and sometimes disorientating jazz drum solo doesn’t bode well but after a while a live drummer and a bloke with a laptop. An early a live drummer and a bloke with a laptop. First, though, Kelpe, a duo from London featuring reverse. As ever, the Devil has the best tunes. As ever, reverse. occupy the high ground; it’s Heaven and Hell in occupy the high ground; it’s blasphemous electro noisemakers Holy Fuck downstairs at the Academy tonight, dirty, Academy downstairs at the layers. Still, his caramel melodies of nostalgia, despair and unrequited love layers. Still, his caramel melodies of nostalgia, Christian popsters Delirious? are bowing out tune into the mood to appreciate the full scale of his multiple cellophane tune into the mood to appreciate the full scale By delicious coincidence, while clean-cut Andy Yorke definitely likes it Yorke Andy you want it soft and tender, other times you want it hard and aggressive”. you want it soft and tender, other times you once said, “Music should be like making love - sometimes Jeff Buckley once said, “Music should be like point in many . and determination that transcends his performance – a missing sell-out and determination that singing tales of love, family and friends and a fresh sense of perseverance singing tales of love, family HOL The Academy sounds like Paolo Nutini in folk mode. Still, he has a natural, joyful way of in folk mode. Still, he has a natural, joyful sounds like Paolo Nutini what he does, but I am not completely convinced about something that not completely convinced about something what he does, but I am warm, aromatic bath. It is not that this Cornish musician isn’t skilful in is not that this Cornish musician isn’t skilful warm, aromatic bath. It happy country-like tunes in one sudden go is a bit like pouring ice in a in one sudden go is a bit like pouring ice happy country-like tunes such bliss doesn’t last long. Forcing the mind from a drowsy trance to long. Forcing the mind from a drowsy trance such bliss doesn’t last hypnotic evening of enlightenments. Yet when Ruarri Joseph comes along, Yet hypnotic evening of enlightenments. Such a combination and skilful display warms us up and promises an skilful display warms us up and promises Such a combination and even a sleepy Mugison in a winter morning. even a sleepy Mugison painfully soft accounts, Rufus Wainwright’s polished arrangements, or Rufus Wainwright’s painfully soft accounts, melancholic guitar riffs crafted in a way that resemble ’s that resemble Joni crafted in a way guitar riffs melancholic powerful voice fills the room, the audience listens in awe. He plays audience listens in awe. fills the room, the powerful voice but since their untimely demise he’s ditched it all and gone ditched it his When solo. untimely demise he’s but since their Matthew Kilford previously played in local indie rock hopefuls Belarus in local indie rock previously played Matthew Kilford MA ANDY The Jericho Tavern The Jericho Introducing….

Nightshift’s new monthly guide to the best local bands bubbling under TRISTAN & the TROUBADOURS

Who are they? Ben Conway: lead singer; Joe Weller: keyboardist; Richard Smith: drums / percussion / bass; Rowan Brackston: drums / percussion; Sam Conway: guitar; Josh McCaffer: guitar, and Bernard Goyder: violin, all from Witney. “We all met at school or involved in equally childish undertakings. The beginnings were a little tempestuous, losing members and such. Once we got a more solid foundation, which was about a year ago, it all went from there.” They were recently awarded Nightshift Demo Of The Month. This followed on from an early Demo Dumper review when the poor wee things were all about 14 years old. Their Favourite other Oxford band are: What do they sound like? “Borderville. That sinister vaudevillian sound just rattles out of them, With an expansive line-up and no obvious lead, their sound is dense and and it’s all very, very exciting. They play music that cannot quite be diverse, piano and violin equal partners to the guitars. Equally though, reduced to its parts.” their songs are short, very sweet and packed with a giddy, youthful If they could only keep one album in the world, it would be: exuberance. Their recent Demo Of The Month review described them as “Pole ‘2’. It’s seminal and beautiful and feels like heartbeat.” “a great mix of fluffy -pop naivety and something more virulent When is their next gig and what can newcomers expect? from the gloomier side of New York’s musical underground”. Saturday 29th November at the Academy with The Half Rabbits and What inspires them? Space Heroes Of The People. “Hopefully newcomers will experience a “I think in an odd way creativity is a false concept, that the creative act tension and a controlled fragility to our live show. Most importantly is just the transmutation of feeling into something functional. Function though, a band who enjoy performing live, perhaps playing a new song makes you sweat and fuck and dance a little. The tiny chance that we or two, and as we did on the Saturday at Truck, play our little hearts can turn that patchwork self into a function, like a quickened pulse or out!” handclaps, that’s very inspiring. So is ‘Stop Making Sense’.” Their favourite and least favourite things about Oxford music Career highlight so far: are: “Saturday on the Bar Stage at Truck Festival. The tent was rammed, we “Least favourite is definitely age-restrictions on bands themselves. didn’t fit on the stage and we played our little hearts out.” We’ve had to move gigs, cancel gigs, and leave gigs at strictly the exact And the Lowlight: microsecond we finish.” “Sunday on the Market Stage at Truck. Turns out you can have too “Favourite thing is probably the diversity. , mathcore, metal, much fun. And that tuning is important.” dub, hip-hop, antifolk, vaudeville, blues. You can see pretty much They describe themselves as: anything round here.” “There is a darkness about it, a rumbling and repetitive urgency that for You’ll love them if you love: me sounds like dubstep and human biology. Drums like machine-guns Larrikin Love, Doctors Of Madness, , Jamie-T. and a peal of bells, guitars that scrape from granite to glass. We try to be Hear them here: frantic and charming all at the same time.” www.myspace.com/tristanandthetroubadours

Whatever happened to… those heroes proggy flights of fancy. All this topped of with Martin’s theatrically portentous vocal performance. Or maybe a titanically morose Brian Blessed fronting a bucolic, mediaeval Black Sabbath. At half speed. On SEVENCHURCH Mogadon. Fantastically, but very much true, every single Oxford show was marked by a thunderstorm, which prompted local music mag Curfew Who? “Five extremely pleasant blokes playing extremely unpleasant to question the dark forces at work in the band. music”, it was once written. Sevenchurch were singer Martin Spear, When? After a self-released demo, Sevenchurch signed to Noise Records guitarists Dave Smart and Dave Capel, bass player Paul Oliver and in 1992 and released their debut album, ‘Bleak Insight’ in 93. The album drummer Grahaeme Bastable. Dave S and Paul had played in bands featured six tracks clocking in at an astonishing seventy minutes. It was together since the early 1980s, while Martin fronted infamous local epic in every way. Problems with the label, which later folded, led the punk-metal faves Madamadam, members of whom later went on to form band to split in 1994. Underbelly. An early incarnation of Sevenchurch made their debut Why? Despite only releasing one album, Sevenchurch have become supporting Madamadam at the Jericho Tavern in 1991. When underground metal legends, particularly in Eastern Europe, where they Madamadam split shortly after, Martin joined Sevenchurch. His first gig have numerous websites dedicated to them. Metal Hammer declared their with them was supporting Carcass at the Tavern. first offering “The best British metal demo in years”. In 2006 Terrorizer What? An uncompromisingly slow, bleak Gregorian form of doom-metal, Magazine retrospectively hailed `Bleak Insight’ the third greatest doom- with the crushing, intricate guitars only occasionally giving way to metal album of all time, behind Black Sabbath and Cathedral. Their success also puts a lie to the idea that Oxford only produces indie bands. Where? After Sevenchurch split the two Daves and Ollie formed the short-lived Earth Machine; later Dave Smart formed Twinjet Superstar with local reggae band singer Jonas. Ollie and Dave C subsequently formed a band called Flume. Martin, meanwhile turned his not inconsiderable comic talents to the London stand-up circuit. In 2001 Dave Smart opened the Oxford Guitar Gallery in Summertown, which remains Oxford’s premier specialist guitar shop. In the wake of Terrorizer’s posthumous acclaim a Sevenchurch reunion was mooted but sadly never materialised. How? Sadly ‘Bleak Insight’ is completely unavailable, but there is an excellent, extensive Sevenchurch website at www.sevenchurch.co.uk where, amongst other things, you can buy the band’s first demo. NIGHTSHIFT ONLINE We’ve just made it better.

Now it’s easier to read Nightshift online every month, or browse the archives. And we’ve completely overhauled the forum, so you can advertise your gigs, find yourself some bandmates, sell your equipment or simply have a bloody good moan about something and nothing. Admit it, you’ve got nothing better to do with your time.

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nightshift.oxfordmusic.net thethe portport mmahonahon Live Music in November 1st Quickfix Presents: Open Jam Session 7th Burning Legacy presents Pistol Kixx + Serotonin + guests (FREE ENTRY!) 9th Barstock 12th Burning Legacy presents Beaver Fuel + Phantom Theory + Thin Green Candles (FREE ENTRY!) 13th Secret Rivals + The Scarletts + Inspected By Ten 14th DB promotions presents 15th Ear Popping Candy 16th Burning Legacy presents Acoustic Sunday with Bethany Weimers + Aiden Canaday + open mic session (FREE ENTRY!) 19th Burning Legacy presents Metal Showcase with Reign Upon Us + more (FREE ENTRY!) 20th Frankie’s Whiskey Night 21st The Reyners + Exit Ten + Seiro Spero 22nd Three Blind Mice Presents 26th Burning Legacy presents Metal Showcase with Taste My Eyes + Black Skies Burn + Vision Fall (FREE ENTRY!) 27th Young Playthings 29th Nine Stone Cowboy + Black Powder + Dedlock + Twat Daddies + OX4 Allstars and more

82 St Clements, Oxford. Tel: 01865 202067 DEMOSDEMOS Sponsored by Demo of the Month wins a free half day’s recording at Keynote. Call 01189 599944 to claim your prize and get special deals for local bands!

DEMO OF Which proves that even Fox FM listeners once in a while can have some taste. THE MONTH THE OOLITES There’s a lot of jaunty indie rocking in this DEDLOK month’s demo pile and Oolites are perhaps A quick browse around Dedlok’s MySpace the jauntiest of the lot. Their first song here, site finds them plugging their last Nightshift ‘Abbey Fields’, sounds ever so slightly demo review, tempered with the comment, exactly like The Wonderstuff, who “at least they didn’t slate us like most other everybody seemed to love for about six metal bands in Oxford”. Excuse us, when did months back in about 1989 until they we last slate a local metal band? We love stopped being good and wrote ‘Size Of A metal. If anything, local metal bands get an Cow’. Oolites follow in their folk-tinged easier ride in these pages than anyone else, punk roustabout footsteps and it’s rather cos we love the loud, fast, shouty brutality jolly. And it could continue in this vein if it of it all. It’s them there wimpy acoustic weren’t for the vocalist’s apparent mission whingers we like to stamp on, mainly due to to take the piss out of for the the fun bleating sound they make. Really rest of the CD, which would be quite funny boys, do pay attention in future. But if it was part of a stand-up comedy routine, anyway, that blundering faux pas aside, or a Flight Of The Conchords song, but here here’s another chance for us to restate our tends to detract rather monstrously from liking for most things metal (because for what the rest of the band are doing, like the every Slayer there is a Gillan). No beating rough and ready Buzzcocks riff that opens about the bush, Dedlok are straight into ‘Last Night’s Song’, with its whiff of good- battle with opener `Why?’, squealing thrash natured grunge maliciousness. Mind you, by riffs, double kick-drum salvos and plenty of the time they’ve lapsed into wandering 60s guttural bawling. It’s equal parts Lamb Of blues-rock at the end, the singer’s theatrics God, Iron Maiden and Pantera, taking in are almost a pleasant distraction. influences from the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal to 80s thrash and beyond into hardcore. In fact `Believe’ stomps closer to SEABUCKTHORN the hardcore punk of Anti Pasti and This is one of those dinky mini CD thingies Discharge than pure metal. It’s a pretty which we’ve already mistaken for an uninspiring month for demos but amid the oversized Polo mint to the detriment of our mediocrity, Dedlok’s uncluttered vision and teeth. Thankfully the music is softer natured proud single-mindedness is pretty and more palatable: understated electronic refreshing. Plus, they can swear with far noodling and acoustic guitar contemplation more conviction than certain other bands in that finds a neat meeting point between Bert this month’s demo pile. Jansch and , with the odd crunching, glitchy Radiohead bit thrown in to stop anyone nodding off at the back. Because you could you know, as the floaty THE ELRICS choral voices waft around you and the folky, And this lot ain’t too bad either. Ostensibly almost classical guitar strum lulls away your a solid, steady indie rock band in the lineage cares. Sometimes it’s all a bit too laid-back of Oasis and their ilk, they’ve got enough to grab you, but at its best there’s real spiky individualism about their stadium- purpose in the gentle throb of the sized chug and bluster to win through. A electronics and after a while it gets mildly wall of sound approach does well to hide hypnotic. Nice. occasional clumsiness as ‘She Doesn’t Exist’ shoves its way through a decent -by-way-of-Maximo Park three-note JAMES GRAY KING guitar groove, while ‘Nothing Truly’ shows Blimey, you wait an age for some hushed, they have an ear for a melody, with a touch neo-classical acoustic techno contemplation of Husker Du about it. They seem to get and two come along at once. This is a demo more Americanised as they go on through that Xmas Lights guitarist James made while the demo, touching on Californian punk-pop in Kenya working for a children’s charity, on ‘Sleeplessness Creeping In’, while closer and suggests the time spent away from ‘The Failure’ has a jerky buoyancy about it Blighty made him prone to star-gazing and that reminds us of The Samurai Seven. wistful reverie, since it’s about two and half Spirited stuff all told and it seems that The universes away from his band’s black- Erics recently won a vote on Fox FM to hearted industrial hardcore metal. There are support The Subways at the Academy. 13 tracks here, which shift somnambulantly through similar Bert Jansch guitar work to just as they’ve got the party restarted, they Seabuckthorn’s demo, taking in elements of get all sentimental and try to be The Steve Reich, Beethoven’s piano sonatas and Beautiful South for a seriously painful five Vangelis’ swirling, soporific electronic minutes. The lesson we learn, then, is that soundscaping. It’s very, very mellow, and, if The Shudders just can’t do slow and not exactly indulgent, then far too drawn out sensitive and are much, much better when over a full album to hold your attention, they’re full of rum and three sheets to the unless you’re virtually comatose from high- wind. So, very much like pirates, then. grade Kenyan weed, and really, for all the good work he was doing over there, we’re glad Mr Gray King is back making evil WILLIAM WILSON noises with Xmas Lights. The thought of Dear God in heaven, James Blunt-lite. Can him mellowing is almost as terrifying as the you imagine something so terrifyingly racket his band make. bland? Well here’s the proof. Plodding piano, for-the-sake-of-it strings and whiny please- love-me vocals that sing to us of stuff that’s, SLASHED SEAT y’know, like, really, really bad about, THE COURTYARD STUDIO y’know, the world and stuff. Like bombs AFFAIR and, erm, war. And bombs. And, oh Christ, PROTOOLS HD2, MTA 980 CONSOLE 32/24/ Named after a line from ‘That’s then someone starts rapping. And now it’s 24, OTARI MTR90 MK2 24 TRACK TAPE Entertainment’, Slashed Seat Affair are like all the very worst bits of James MACHINE, 2 TRACKING ROOMS, SUPERB about as far from the spirit of as Morrison (yes, really) crossed with the CONTROL ROOM WITH GOOD SELECTION it’s possible to get, instead presenting an intensely irritating talky bits of Faithless. OF MICS & OUTBOARD GEAR, + MIDI album-length CD of soft rock as imagined And then, for absolutely no reason at all, FACILITIES (INC LOGIC AUDIO, AKAI by a Disney Corporation marketing three and half minutes in, it all turns into a S1000, OLD SKOOL ROLAND ETC.) committee. There are contemplative, bad imitation of . Where in Residential facilities included. vaguely gothy guitars and swirly synths and blazes did that comes from? We’re confused. a histrionic female singer who sounds a bit Really confused. And very, very depressed. www.courtyardrecordingstudio.com like Gwen Stefani at times and Natalie PHONE PIPPA FOR DETAILS Imbruglia at others. It’s sumptuous, over- ON 01235 845800 produced stuff that you just know could shift several million copies across the globe THE DEMO and single-handedly re-ignite the world economy so we shouldn’t knock it too DUMPER much, but from a band who describe themselves as raucous, loud fun, we expect something a bit more challenging than a THE FOXES cross between The Corrs and Lacuna Coil. Not to be mistaken for Foxes! with an Where are these “showers of almighty exclamation mark, the local janglers and drums” we’re promised in the press blurb, former-Nightshift Demo Of The Monthers eh? Oh yes, we’re rat-tempered lo-fi noise whose relocation to Brighton means there’s snobs here at Nightshift, we’ll not deny it, maybe room for another vulpine-themed but twelve tracks of shiny orchestral rock and band in town. Or maybe not on the strength soft-centred ballads is enough to suffocate the of this evidence. On the strength of this most vacuum-headed Radio 2 listener. evidence they should be driven out of town by yokels armed with torches and pitchforks. Ah, fuck the evidence, just stick THE SHUDDERS them on a ducking stool. “I do not want to Ah, some more of that jaunty rock we were use public transport because it is full of talking about earlier. The Shudders have a twats,” announces the singer as an rather annoying band biog on their website introduction to his undergraduate essay on which tries to make them out as crazy misanthropy, delivered over the top of some pirates and makes us want to slit their third-rate indie punk of the sort Young gizzards with a cutlass, but we stay our Knives would discard, embarrassed, in an hand for a while since they’re banging out instant. And the thing is, for all the some decent (and, it must be said, jaunty) supposed vitriol inherent in the lyrics, it’s all skiffle-inflected jangle-pop that at first so tame, there’s no venom here. Give the glance comes at us from somewhere not far same song to Dedlok and they could at least away from Aztec Camera, which is never a make it sound like they were off home to bad thing. Unlike starting to sound a bit too tool up and take out the entire George Street much like The Travelling Wilburys, or binge drinking massive. No, it’s just slipping into weary, dreary ballad mode, as posturing, and when they use the word on ‘Moonrakers’ (which, incidentally, we paradigm, you just know they’d weep tiny had high hopes for since the band are from tears of wee wee if anyone so much glanced Swindon). But just as we’re preparing to at them on the last bus out of town. Still, make them walk the plank, they’re back The Foxes have the temerity to describe with a punked-up country stomp, banjo and themselves as “gritty” in their all and sounding refreshingly like The Men accompanying letter. We can think of a more They Couldn’t Hang. But, blistering appropriate description that rhymes with it. barnacles, they go and do it all over again – Shhh… it’s not pretty.

Send demos for review to: Nightshift, PO Box 312, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1ZU. Or email MySpace link to [email protected], clearly marked Demo for review. IMPORTANT: no review without a contact address and phone number. No more than four tracks on a demo. If you can’t handle criticism, please don’t send us your demo.